Tastykake facts for kids
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| Wholly owned subsidiary | |
| Traded as | |
| Industry | Food production |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Headquarters |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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United States
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Area served
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Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States |
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Key people
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John Padgett, Former President and CEO |
| Products | Krimpets, Kandy Kakes, Cupcakes, Pies, Koffee Kakes, Donuts, Cookie Bars, Juniors, Kreamies |
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Number of employees
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Approx. 1000 |
| Parent | Flowers Foods |
Tastykake is a popular brand of snack foods made by the Tasty Baking Company. This company has its main office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. It was started in 1914 by Philip J. Baur and Herbert T. Morris.
When it first began, Tastykake only sold its treats in the Philadelphia area. But now, you can find Tastykake products in many states along the East Coast, all the way down to Florida. The company is even starting to sell its snacks across the entire United States!
In 2010, Tasty Baking made a deal to sell its old bakery building and offices in Philadelphia. This sale helped the company move forward.
Contents
Tasty Treats: What They Make
Tastykake makes many different kinds of yummy pastries. Some of their popular snacks include:
- Cupcakes
- Donuts
- Honey buns
- Pies
A Sweet History: How Tastykake Started
Philip J. Baur and Herbert T. Morris started the Tasty Baking Company in 1914. They invested $50,000 to open their first bakery in the Germantown area of Philadelphia.
Before this, Baur and Morris had a bakery near Pittsburgh. They sold it in 1913. The deal said they couldn't open another bakery close to Pittsburgh. So, they looked to Philadelphia instead. In November 1913, they found a spot on Sedgley Avenue.
It was Morris's wife who came up with the catchy name "Tastykake." A student from Boston then designed the "Tastykake girl" and the company's logo. Soon after, the company used a famous slogan: "The Cake That Made Mother Stop Baking."
The Tastykake brand quickly became very successful. On their first day, they sold $28 worth of cakes, which were ten cents each! In the first week, sales reached $222. By the end of 1914, they had made $300,000 in sales.
At first, Tastykake products were mostly sold in Eastern Pennsylvania. Until 1941, the company used horse-drawn wagons to deliver its snacks. This made them a special treat just for the city.
However, World War II changed everything. Tastykake sent thousands of cakes and pies overseas to soldiers. This helped the company become known in many more places. Over the years, Tastykake started using trucks, electric cars, trains, and ships for delivery. They began selling products in Western Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York. The last horse used for deliveries retired in 1941.
The company's identity grew even more in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They installed new, modern machines that cut the baking time from twelve hours to just forty-five minutes. This helped them make even more delicious snacks!
Philip Baur passed away in 1951. His family bought more shares from Herbert Morris's wife. This gave the Baur family control of the company. Paul R. Kaiser became president, and Morris became chairman of the board. By 1954, Tastykake snacks were sold in parts of nine states and Washington D.C. By the end of the 1950s, yearly sales were almost $22.9 million.
A Stand for Fairness: The 1959 Boycott
In 1959, a group of ministers in Philadelphia, known as the "400 ministers," wanted to help African American workers get better job opportunities. They believed it was important for the community to see African Americans in more than just low-paying jobs.
Led by Reverend Leon Sullivan, the group talked to Tastykake's leaders. They wanted the company to hire African American workers for "driver-salesman" jobs. These jobs were good because drivers delivered snacks and sold them to stores, earning extra money from sales.
Even though the talks were friendly, Tastykake did not change its hiring rules. So, the ministers decided to stop buying Tastykake snacks. They hoped their church members would join them.
On June 16, the ministers announced that Tastykake would be the first company they would boycott. Reverend Sullivan was the main spokesperson. Tastykake was known for hiring many African American workers, but mostly in certain factory jobs. There were also rumors that they had separate restrooms and locker rooms.
Tastykake products were very popular in African American neighborhoods. This meant they were profitable for both Tastykake and the black-owned grocery stores that sold them. For the boycott to work, 150 black grocery stores needed to agree to stop selling the products. This was a big step for the cause of fair employment.
With handmade signs in windows saying they would not sell Tastykake products, Reverend Sullivan and the ministers successfully united the black communities. Finally, Tastykake agreed to talk with the ministers.
On August 7, 1959, the ministers announced the boycott was over. Tastykake made changes:
- African American drivers now had regular delivery routes.
- African American women were hired for jobs that were previously only for white women.
- All facilities in the plants were no longer separated by race.
This was an important moment for equal rights in the workplace.
Tastykake's Product Journey
In 1927, Tastykake introduced its famous Butterscotch Krimpet. Soon after, they started selling individually wrapped fruit and cream pies. These were wrapped in wax paper, a tradition that continued until the 1960s.
The Tandy-Kake first appeared in 1931. This snack later became the Kandy Kake, which is the most popular cake in the company's history. Nearly half a million Kandy Kakes are baked and packaged every single day!
In the 1970s and 80s, Tastykake added new products to meet changing tastes. They started making muffins, chocolate-covered pretzels, and other pastries.
Even though Tastykake is mostly sold in one region, the company gets ingredients from all over the world. For example, they get sugarcane and cocoa from Africa, vanilla from Madagascar, and cinnamon from Indonesia. They also use ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Where the Magic Happens: Production Facilities
Tasty Baking used to have a big production factory in the Allegheny West neighborhood of Philadelphia. They also had a smaller facility in Oxford, Pennsylvania, which made honey buns, doughnuts, and cakes.
In May 2007, Tasty Baking announced they would move their main bakery and headquarters to the Philadelphia Naval Business Center in South Philadelphia. The new bakery is on South 26th Street, and the headquarters is on Crescent Drive. The move was finished in May 2010.
Company Changes: Financials
The Tasty Baking Company became a public company in 1961. This meant people could buy shares of its stock on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In 2005, the company moved its stock listing to the NASDAQ.
In early 2011, the price of Tastykake stock dropped quickly. This happened after the company's sales went down. There was talk that the company had not saved as much money as they hoped after moving to their new factory.
On April 11, 2011, Tastykake's leaders agreed to sell the company to Flowers Foods. Flowers Foods is a large food company from Georgia. This sale was good news for Pennsylvania taxpayers. Tastykake had borrowed about $80 million to build its new location, and about half of that money came from state programs.
