Thomas' facts for kids
Thomas' is a very popular brand known for its English muffins and bagels. You can find their products all over North America. The company started way back in 1880. Today, Thomas' is owned by Bimbo Bakeries USA, which is one of the biggest baking companies in the United States. They also own other well-known brands like Entenmann's and Sara Lee.
Thomas' English muffins are famous for their special "nooks and crannies." These are tiny holes that are perfect for holding butter or jam! Besides muffins and bagels, Thomas' also makes other yummy baked goods like swirl breads, pitas, and wraps.
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The Story of Thomas' Bakery
The Thomas' company was started by a man named Samuel Bath Thomas (1855–1919). He was born in England. In 1874, when he was 19, Samuel moved from England to New York City. He worked different small jobs before he started working in a bakery.
How Thomas' English Muffins Began
By 1880, Samuel Thomas had saved enough money to buy his own bakery. It was located at 163 Ninth Avenue in Manhattan. This is where he started making his special muffins. What made them unique was that he baked them on a griddle, not in an oven!
His business grew, and he opened another location at 337 West 20th Street. There's even a special sign on that building that calls it "The Muffin House."
Passing Down the Business
Samuel Thomas passed away in 1919. His daughter and nephews took over the company, which was officially named S. B. Thomas. Later, another big company called George Weston Bakeries owned Thomas'.
You might have seen TV commercials for Thomas' muffins that talk about Samuel Thomas' journey from England. These ads sometimes joke about how people in England were "sad" when he brought his muffins to America. It's just a funny story for the commercials!
Thomas' Today
Thomas' is a very successful brand. In 2010, the company had a legal case about its secret recipes. They won the case, which helped protect their special way of making muffins. That same year, people bought about $500 million worth of Thomas' English Muffins!
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