Welch's
Parent National Grape Cooperative Association | Global Beverage Corporation (soda) Promotion in Motion, Inc. (fruit snacks) | |
Website | Welchs.com |
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Welch%27s_Fruit_Snacks_%284239096810%29.jpg/220px-Welch%27s_Fruit_Snacks_%284239096810%29.jpg)
Welch Foods Inc., commonly known as Welch's, is an American company, headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts. It has been owned by the National Grape Cooperative Association, a co-op of grape growers, since 1956.[1][2] Welch's is particularly known for its grape juices, jams and jellies made from dark Concord grapes[3] and its white Niagara grape juice. The company also manufactures and markets an array of other products, including refrigerated juices, frozen and shelf-stable concentrates, organic grape juice, fruit snacks, and dried fruit. Welch's has also licensed its name for a line of grape-flavored soft drinks since 1974. Welch's grape and strawberry soda flavors are currently licensed to Global Beverage Corporation.[4][5] Other popular products that use the Welch's name are the fruit snacks made by The Promotion In Motion Companies, Inc.
History
The company was founded in
In 1956, the company was sold to the National Grape Cooperative Association, which comprises 1,300 grape growers located in Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington and Ontario, Canada.[8]
In the 1960s, Welch's was a major sponsor of the ABC primetime animated comedy series The Flintstones; its characters were prominently featured in Welch's TV commercials on that show, and on jars of Welch's grape jelly which could be used as a drinking glass after the product had been fully used. In the early 1970s, The Archies cartoon characters were on the jars.
Physical plant
The oldest extant structure associated with the company is Welch Factory Building No. 1, located at Westfield, New York, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[9] Their largest manufacturing plant is located 17 miles away in North East, Pennsylvania.[10]
History of Welch's Grape Juice
The method of
As the temperance movement grew, so did the popularity of grape juice. In 1913, Secretary of State
Current products
Welch's produces a variety of juices, jellies/jams, and fruit snacks.
Juices
100% juices
- Concord Grape
- Concord Grape with Calcium
- Concord Grape with Fiber
- Red Grape
- White Grape
- White Grape Cherry
- White Grape Peach
- Black Cherry Concord Grape
- Apple
- Pineapple Apple
- Orange
Juice drinks
- Fruit Punch
- Mango Twist
- Orange Pineapple Apple
- Peach Medley
- Cranberry Juice Cocktail
- Apple Cranberry
- Grape
- Passion Fruit
- Mango Passion Fruit
- Mango Pineapple
- Orange Pineapple
- Strawberry Kiwi
- Tropical Carrot
Refrigerated juices
- Concord Grape
- Passion Fruit
- Berry Pineapple Passion Fruit
- Guava Pineapple
- Mountain Berry
- Mango Twist
- Dragon Fruit Mango
- Watermelon Lemonade
Diet and light juices
- Diet Concord Grape
- Diet Cranberry Grape
- Light Concord Grape
Sparkling Juices
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Welch%27s_Sparkling_Rose.jpg/100px-Welch%27s_Sparkling_Rose.jpg)
- Sparkling Red Grape
- Sparkling White Grape
- Sparling Rosé Grape
- Sparkling Cider
- Sparkling Sangria
- Sparkling Strawberry Daiquiri
Jellies/jams
- Concord Grape Jelly
- Concord Grape Jam
- Natural Concord Grape Spread
- Reduced Sugar Concord Grape Jelly
- Strawberry Spread
- Natural Strawberry Spread
Snacks
- PB&J sealed crustless sandwiches
- Fruit Snacks
- Juicefuls
- Fruit 'n Yogurt
- Fresh Fruit
- Organic Juice Ice Bar
- Sparkling Soda
- Slush Pouch (Concord Berry, Concord Grape, White Grape Cherry, and White Grape Peach)
- Protein Smoothies
- Gelatin (Grape and Strawberry Peach)
Advertising
Welch's long-time traditional advertising partner is The Via Agency in Portland, Maine and in the Fall of 2016 announced that Jack Morton Worldwide's Genuine group will be handling the mobile, social, and digital media and strategy. The company is looking to reach consumers on digital channels with advertising aimed at informing about Welch's products, ingredients, and the company's long heritage.[14]
Welch's has featured people in their television commercials such as:
- Travis Tedford[15][16]
- Emily Mae Young[16]
- Isla Ng[17][18]
- Shyann McClure[19]
- Alton Brown[20]
See also
References
- ^ New York Times. April 18, 1999.
- ^ Welch's History
- ^ Hein, Kenneth. Welch's Touts Concord Grape as 'Superfruit'. Archived Adweek. November 17, 2008.
- ^ "About Us - Welch's Soda". welchssoda.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2017.
- ^ "Welch's, Global Beverage Unite to Expand Welch's Soda Business". August 14, 2017.
- ^ Edwin McDowell (January 12, 1986). "Faces Behind The Famous Brand Names". The New York Times. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
Dr. Thomas B. Welch, a teetotaling New Jersey dentist, came up with Dr. Welch's Unfermented Wine - later renamed Welch's Grape Juice - to be used as a substitute for wine in church communion service.
- ^ "Welch's Company History". Archived from the original on May 10, 2013.
- ^ "Farm Group Buys Welch Grape Co. 87-Year-Old Concern Sold for Equivalent of 28.6 Million to Cooperative". The New York Times. August 27, 1956. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "Where You'll Work". www.welchs.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ Hallett, Anthony; and Hallett, Diane. "Thomas B. Welch, Charles E. Welch" in Entrepreneur Magazine Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurs. (John Wiley and Sons, 1997), 481–483; and Haines, Lee M.; and Thomas, Paul William. "A New Denomination" in An Outline History of the Wesleyan Church (4th edition ed.). (Indianapolis, Indiana: Wesley Press, 1990), 68.
- ^ Our People of the Century: Charles K. Landis - Founder of a City, Creator of a Dream Archived June 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Cumberland County, New Jersey. Accessed January 26, 2013.
- ^ The Founding of Vineland and Its Growth as an Agricultural Center, West Jersey and South Jersey Heritage. Accessed August 28, 2007.
- Advertising Age. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ^ "Travis Tedford - Welch's Grape Juice Commercial". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
- ^ Advertising Age. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
- Advertising Age. December 4, 2000. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
- ^ "'Memories' Campaign Gives Welch's An Ad Boost 3rd 'Spokeskid' Set For Commercials; Coop Profits Grow". Rocky Mountain News. December 3, 2000. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
- ^ "Shyann McClure :: Video". Retrieved September 13, 2010.
- ^ "Alton Brown Is Welch's New Spokesman". November 12, 2008. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
External links
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