Friday, September 4, 2009 9:47 PM CDT
USA's Yesterdays: Henry J. Heinz - Premiere purveyor of processed products
By Hal Malehorn
During the latter stages of the 19th century and beyond, Henry J. Heinz was one of five millionaires who were commanding figures in Pittsburgh, Pa. In addition to Heinz, these men were Andrew Carnegie, George Westinghouse, Andrew Mellon and Ford Frick.
But while those other four captains of industry initiated their fortune-making in coal and iron, aluminum and oil, and railroads and heavy machinery, Heinz began his food processing empire on one simple operation: packing pickles.
Lest anyone scoff at such humble beginnings, let it also be said that Henry Heinz eventually helped revolutionize agriculture, introduced many innovations into the processing of foods, and changed the cooking and eating habits of America.
In addition, against furious opposition from other food processing industry leaders, he vigorously supported the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. And in a city otherwise torn with labor strife, he managed an operation that was so paternalistic and benevolent that, during his lifetime at least, the company’s workers exhibited hardly any discord.
Henry John Heinz was born on Oct. 11, 1844, in Birmingham, near Pittsburgh. He was the first of nine. When the lad was 5, the family moved to Sharpsburg, six miles up the Allegheny River, where the elder Heinz bought a kiln and set about making brick.
Young Henry remembered his father as “a giant in strength and very indulgent.” In contrast, his mother was strict and deeply religious. In spite of her discipline, however, “Harry” was spirited and mischievous.
Seasonally, when not in school, the lad worked in the huge Heinz garden and drove into Pittsburgh a wagon laden with produce for sale. Knowing his patrons’ penchant for condiments, Henry began bottling pickles and pungent horseradish. Differing from his competitors, Henry used clear glass (instead of colored), the better to assure his customers that no adulterants had been added.
In 1875 Heinz partnered with E.J. Noble in a venture to add a wider variety of preserved condiments — celery sauce, sauerkraut and vinegar — just in time to get caught up in the financial aftermath of the Panic of 1873. In sum, Heinz and Noble were forced into bankruptcy.
Although for a while Heinz found himself without sufficient for himself, his wife and their little family, he resolutely confronted his dilemma and kept a notebook of his creditors, vowing to pay back all he owed.
With borrowed boilers, rented land and a blind horse, Heinz resumed his work. By dint of hard work, patience and careful management, within a few years 1886 Henry Heinz found himself the half-owner of a company that controlled vegetable farms near Pittsburgh and LaPorte, Ind.; three packing houses or factories in Pennsylvania and Indiana; and branch outlets in a dozen major American cities.
By 1886 Heinz was sufficiently wealthy — and the business operation sufficiently sound — for him to travel to Germany, partly in quest of his ancestors and relatives, and partly to open up agencies to handle Heinz products.
In Germany, Heinz was impressed with the progressive and orderly structuring of the workplaces he observed. He resolved to build a community of workers who would feel happy and privileged to work for him. He would build a model industrial complex complete with a restaurant, hospital, gardens, fitness center and classrooms.
Returning to America months later, he set about doing just what he had planned. He even began publishing a company magazine titled, appropriately enough, “Pickles.”
Heinz continued traveling, visiting nearly every corner of the industrialized world. By 1914, in fact, he had toured Europe 20 times, and had established outlets for his goods on four continents.
To call attention to his line of foodstuffs, Heinz produced all kinds of advertisements: signs, calendars, booklets, spoons and rhyming cards. He painted his delivery wagons white and green, each pulled by a team of perfectly matched black horses. He also touted his trademark, a keystone (for the Keystone State) inscribed with “57 Varieties,” even though that number had already been surpassed, and eventually would exceed 200.
Moreover, Heinz invited the public to tour his spotless Pittsburgh processing plant. In an era when factories were often dirt heaps, or sweatshops, or firetraps, people from afar marveled at the model Heinz establishment. And he built and furnished at Atlantic City the Heinz Pier, where visitors to the beach could rest and sample his wares.
But his most ubiquitous gimmick was a little green “pickle pin,” a miniature cucumber clasp given away by countless millions and worn by boys on their lapels or caps, or fastened by men as souvenirs to key chains, or carried by women as charms in pockets or purses.
Applying modern technology to his assembly-line operation, Heinz introduced, as examples, the pea huller, corn husker, salmon dresser. He registered his trademark and labeled every container with it. And a money-back guarantee assured the consumer.
Impressed by the threat of bacterial contaminants and adulterants demonstrated by Dr. Harvey Wiley of the Department of Agriculture, Heinz joined the push for federal regulation of the production, labeling and sale of processed foods.
A millionaire many times over, Henry Heinz built the almost-mandatory mansion, Greenlawn, on a pleasant overlook. Nonetheless, his salary from the company remained at the same modest level for many years.
Still, Heinz looked after the welfare of his workers and associates. For instance, he voluntarily raised wages and provided lavish luncheons and picnics for the thousands of workers at the Pittsburgh plant.
Similarly, for his workers’ use he also built a brick-and-marble community center equipped with swimming pool, gymnasium, auditorium, clubrooms and workshops.
Elsewhere Henry Heinz was deeply committed to the national Sunday School campaign, as well as to an international movement for world peace.
Eventually, of course, the man had to slow down. After installing his son Howard as his successor, Henry yet remained marginally involved: one chilly day outdoors he demonstrated to a workman how to toss bricks. Unhappily, Henry caught cold, which turned into pneumonia. And that caused his death on May 14, 1919.
The Heinz workers may have produced more than 57 varieties, but their boss was truly one of a kind.
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