Wolf Brand Chili facts for kids

Wolf Brand Chili is a popular brand of chili con carne, which is a tasty dish made with meat, chili powder, and other spices. This brand is currently owned by a big food company called ConAgra Foods. You can find Wolf Brand Chili with or without beans, so there's an option for everyone!

The Story of Wolf Brand Chili

How It All Started

The story of Wolf Brand Chili began way back in 1895 in a town called Corsicana, Texas. A man named Lyman T. Davis started selling his "Lyman's Famous Chili" for just five cents a bowl. He sold it right from the back of his wagon on the streets of downtown Corsicana. People loved his chili so much that he soon began putting it in cans. This allowed him to sell it to more people in the area.

Lyman Davis decided to give his chili a special name: "Lyman's Famous Wolf Brand Chili." He chose this name to honor his own pet wolf, whose name was Kaiser Bill.

Growing the Business

In 1924, Lyman Davis sold his Wolf Brand business to two new owners, J. C. West and Fred Slauson. They wanted to make Wolf Brand Chili famous beyond Corsicana. To do this, they used a clever marketing trick: their salesmen drove unique trucks that looked just like giant chili cans! Sometimes, they even had Lyman Davis's pet wolf, Kaiser Bill, in a cage in the back of the truck. These trucks were not only great for moving chili but also worked as moving advertisements.

During World War II, many families from Texas would send cans of Wolf Brand Chili to their sons who were serving in the military. This helped the chili become even more well-known. After the war, more and more people wanted Wolf Brand Chili. The factory started making new chili products, like hot dog sauce and different kinds of chili.

New Owners and Expansion

In 1950, Fred Slauson, who was also a talented artist, sold his part of the company to Doyle and James West. Fred then moved to New Mexico to focus on his painting. A few years later, in 1954, the company started selling its chili in other states, not just Texas.

Then, in 1957, a large company called Quaker Oats bought Wolf Brand Chili from Doyle and James West. Quaker Oats kept the original factory in Corsicana running and continued to use Lyman Davis's first recipe. In 1977, Wolf Brand Chili and other chili makers worked together to convince the Texas government to make chili the official "state food" of Texas!

Later, in 1985, Quaker Oats decided to combine its operations. They closed the Corsicana plant and moved the chili production to Dallas, combining it with another company they owned called Stokley-Van Camp. Finally, in 1995, ConAgra bought Van Camp's and Wolf Brand from Quaker Oats. ConAgra still owns Wolf Brand Chili today.

Famous Slogan

Wolf Brand Chili has a very famous slogan that many Texans know well. It goes like this: "Neighbor, how long has it been since you had a big, thick, steaming bowl of Wolf Brand Chili? Well, that's too long!" This slogan is a special phrase that the company uses to remind people about their delicious chili.