Libby's
Encyclopedia
Libby's is a U.S.
-based food company known for its canned food
.
The company was founded as Libby, McNeill & Libby in Chicago, Illinois, by Archibald McNeill and the brothers Arthur and Charles Libby. The business began with a canned meat product, beef in brine, or corned beef
. It became well-known when it began to package the meat in a trapezoid-shaped can starting in 1875.
By 1880, it had 1,500 employees in Chicago, and by the turn of the century there were about 2,000 employed, by which time it had expanded to the canning of fruits and vegetables. Libby's came under the control of Swift & Company
in the 1920s. One of the best known executives of Libby's was Charles Scott Bridges
who in 1947 was made a director of the company and in 1953 became Libby's president and chief executive officer. Libby's expanded and modernized during his presidency. By 1960 Libby's had 9,000 employees and annual revenues of $296
million, and ranked 154th in size among U.S. corporations.
Libby's canned fruit and vegetable business was acquired by Nestlé
in 1971 and, except for canned pumpkin, was spun off to Seneca Foods
in the 1980s. ConAgra acquired the canned meats division in 1998. Libby's nectars was acquired by Tequesta Foods in 2010. Corlib Brand Holding is the current owner of the Libby's trademark.
Libby's UK operations were based in Milnthorpe, Cumbria, a decision mainly driven by the significant dairy farming community in the South Lakes area, who supplied Libby's with milk, the basic ingredient of evaporated milk that was the mainstay of the factory's operations. The factory went on to make tinned rice pudding, tomato ketchup and fruit juice, both canned and bottled. The Milnthorpe factory had its own R&D labs and eventually the plant produced Libby's Orange 'c', a best seller even though it was berated by a national newspaper for its high water content. Orange 'c' is still on sale today under the Libby's brand. The Milnthorpe operation gradually declined, following acquisition by Nestle, who moved production to various other Nestle plants in the UK, prior to closure of the Milnthorpe factory.
Libby's in the United Kingdom
does not sell canned foods. They instead sell fruit juice.
Libby's trademark in Spain
is owned by Establecimientos Industriales Archipiélago S.A. just for Canary Islands
, they sell fruit juices, catsup sauce and apple soda.
Libby's also owned Juicy Juice
; they sold it to Nestle
in the 2000s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based food company known for its canned food
Canning
Canning is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an airtight container. Canning provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years, although under specific circumstances a freeze-dried canned product, such as canned, dried lentils, can last as...
.
The company was founded as Libby, McNeill & Libby in Chicago, Illinois, by Archibald McNeill and the brothers Arthur and Charles Libby. The business began with a canned meat product, beef in brine, or corned beef
Corned beef
Corned beef is a type of salt-cured beef products present in many beef-eating cultures. The English term is used interchangeably in modernity to refer to three distinct types of cured beef:...
. It became well-known when it began to package the meat in a trapezoid-shaped can starting in 1875.
By 1880, it had 1,500 employees in Chicago, and by the turn of the century there were about 2,000 employed, by which time it had expanded to the canning of fruits and vegetables. Libby's came under the control of Swift & Company
Swift & Company
Swift & Company is an American food procession company a wholly owned subsidiary of JBS S.A. , a Brazilian company that is the world's largest processor of fresh beef and pork, with more than US$30 billion in annual sales as of 2010. It is also the largest beef processor in Australia.Swift &...
in the 1920s. One of the best known executives of Libby's was Charles Scott Bridges
Charles Scott Bridges
Charles Scott Bridges was an American corporate executive.Bridges was born at Bridges P.O., Gloucester County, Virginia. He was the youngest of the eleven children who grew to maturity of Thomas Francis Bridges, a farmer, merchant, and postmaster, and his wife Mary Otie Bartow Bridges...
who in 1947 was made a director of the company and in 1953 became Libby's president and chief executive officer. Libby's expanded and modernized during his presidency. By 1960 Libby's had 9,000 employees and annual revenues of $296
million, and ranked 154th in size among U.S. corporations.
Libby's canned fruit and vegetable business was acquired by Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
in 1971 and, except for canned pumpkin, was spun off to Seneca Foods
Seneca Foods
Seneca Foods Corporation is a leading low-cost food processor and distributor headquartered in Marion, New York, USA. The company primarily produces canned, frozen, and bottled produce under private label as well as national and regional brands that the company owns or licenses, including Seneca,...
in the 1980s. ConAgra acquired the canned meats division in 1998. Libby's nectars was acquired by Tequesta Foods in 2010. Corlib Brand Holding is the current owner of the Libby's trademark.
Libby's UK operations were based in Milnthorpe, Cumbria, a decision mainly driven by the significant dairy farming community in the South Lakes area, who supplied Libby's with milk, the basic ingredient of evaporated milk that was the mainstay of the factory's operations. The factory went on to make tinned rice pudding, tomato ketchup and fruit juice, both canned and bottled. The Milnthorpe factory had its own R&D labs and eventually the plant produced Libby's Orange 'c', a best seller even though it was berated by a national newspaper for its high water content. Orange 'c' is still on sale today under the Libby's brand. The Milnthorpe operation gradually declined, following acquisition by Nestle, who moved production to various other Nestle plants in the UK, prior to closure of the Milnthorpe factory.
Libby's in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
does not sell canned foods. They instead sell fruit juice.
Libby's trademark in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
is owned by Establecimientos Industriales Archipiélago S.A. just for Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, they sell fruit juices, catsup sauce and apple soda.
Libby's also owned Juicy Juice
Juicy Juice
Juicy Juice is a brand of juices and juice concentrates geared toward children and sold in the United States by Nestlé using the slogan "The very best juice for the very best kids." Prior to March 2006, it was known as Libby's Juicy Juice and was formerly owned by the Libby's Canned Food Company,...
; they sold it to Nestle
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
in the 2000s.