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1849
In Concord, Mass., Ephraim Wales Bull achieves
his goal of developing the "perfect" sweet and palatable
grape: the "Concord." His work with seeds and seedlings
spanned more than 10 years and was the result of 22,000 crossbreeding
experiments on 125 vines. |
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1869
Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch, a physician and
dentist by profession, successfully pasteurizes Concord grape juice
to produce an "unfermented sacramental wine" for fellow
parishioners at his church in Vineland, N.J., where he is communion
steward. His achievement marks the beginning of the processed fruit
juice industry. |
| 1893
Grape
juice becomes a national favorite as thousands sample it at the Chicago
World's Fair. Dr. Charles E. Welch, son of Welch's founder, discontinues
his practice of dentistry to give full attention to the marketing
of grape juice. A new label is adopted, omitting the "Dr."
before the name Welch's. |
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1913
Secretary
of State William Jennings Bryan startles the world by serving Welch's
Grape Juice instead of wine at a full-dress diplomatic function honoring
the retiring British ambassador. Newspaper columnists, cartoonists
and editors make much of it for months. |
| 1914
Welch's has another publicity windfall when
Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Navy, forbids the use of alcoholic
beverages aboard Navy ships and substitutes instead Welch's Grape
Juice, giving rise to the term, "Daniels' Grape Juice Navy."
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| 1918
Welch's develops its first jam product called "Grapelade."
The initial quantity is purchased in its entirety by the U.S. Army,
becoming a product demanded by the doughboys when they return to civilian
life. |
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| 1923
Welch's introduces its famous Concord Grape Jelly.
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1927
The Company's first non-grape product is introduced:
Welch's Homogenized Tomato Juice. |
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1934 Welch's begins its 11-year sponsorship of The Irene Rich Show, one of the most popular shows in the early days of radio.
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1949
Welch's becomes a pioneer in the frozen
juice concentrate industry with the introduction of Welch's Frozen
Grape Juice Concentrate. |
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1951
Welch's
becomes an early sponsor of the Howdy Doody Show television program.
The show soon captures the hearts of children throughout the country.
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1952
The
National Grape Cooperative Association, Inc. acquires Welch's. |
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| 1953
Welch's
introduces the first in its long-running series of jelly glasses,
featuring Howdy Doody. |
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1955
Welch's
begins sponsorship of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Club and establishes
a grape juice concession stand at Disneyland. |
| 1962
Welch's begins sponsoring The Flintstones on TV. |
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| 1972
Welch's introduces two new grape juice products: Red
Grape Juice and White Grape Juice. |
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1981
Sparkling Grape Juice is added to Welch's national
line of products. |
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1985
Welch's jellies and preserves become available
in squeezable containers, a first for the jellies and jams industry.
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1994
Welch's begins its advertising-spokeskid campaign,
featuring 5-year-old Travis Tedford. |
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1996
Welch's JuiceMakers, a juice concentrate that requires
no freezing, becomes the company's most successful new product launch.
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1997
Welch's adopts a new advertising 'spokeskid,' Emily
Mae Young. |
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1998 Welch's introduces the new plastic can for its line of frozen concentrates. This new package is the first innovation to hit the freezer case since the peel strip in 1979. Welch's also introduces its most successful jelly glass venture ever: Winnie the Pooh.
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1999
Welch's
successfully launches a new 32 ounce plastic, shatterproof jelly
jar.
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2000 Company introduces a new raspberry flavor in a squeezable plastic bottle to give a boost to the spreads category. Our "Memories" advertising campaign, featuring Welch's spokeskids, is cited as one of the best in the '90s. The fresh grapes program is expanded to include more than 30 grocery chains across the country; in its first year, more than 16 million packages of Welch's Fresh Grapes are sold to consumers. Pokémon jelly tumblers prove a big winner, driving tumbler business up 33% for the year.
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2001 The voices of Paul Harvey and Charles Osgood reach consumers on more than 400 radio stations, promoting the health benefits of grape juice. In August, Welch's introduces a new, improved easy-spread cap for its Squeezable jelly and jam products. A polypropylene bottle is developed and introduced for Welch's Single Serve drinks. Welch's Fruit Snacks are introduced. Seven-year-old Isla Ng debuts as Welch's third spokeschild in Welch’s award-winning "Memories"advertising campaign.
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2002 New research reports on a potential cancer benefit of Concord grape juice, the colic-related benefit of white grape juice, and the maintenance of urinary tract health for Concord grape juice. Our International business achieves a solid foothold in the United Kingdom and we sign an agreement with Nong Shim, a leading consumer products company in South Korea. Decorative holiday wraps for Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice cocktails continue to be popular. Welch's Squeezable Spreads line enjoys a banner year, with packaging changes spurring a sales increase of nearly 50%.
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2003 Congratulations to the Concord Grape—150 years old this year—and to all those who grow them. Decorative shrink wrap packaging helps our single serve business grow by 24%. We're named Supplier of the Quarter—Grocery Division at Wal-Mart Supercenter. Talk show host Larry King becomes our newest radio spokesperson. National growers harvest a combined Concord-Niagara crop of 302,000 tons, well below the earlier forecast of more than 360,000 tons, but second only to the 1999 harvest. Russell Levering debuts as our fourth Welch's spokes child following a nationwide search. |
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