In 1961, several small glass and related housewares manufacturing companies combined to form Lancaster Colony Corporation. Two years later, the Board of Directors initiated a strategy to reward shareholders through annual dividend increases. Lancaster Colony has paid consecutive quarterly dividends since 1963. Lancaster Colony went public in 1969. That year also saw the company enter the specialty foods business with the purchase of the T. Marzetti Company. In 1972, Lancaster Colony posted sales in excess of $100 million.The company exceeded $1 billion in annual sales for the first time in fiscal 1998. Today, Lancaster Colony is positioned as a diversified marketer and manufacturer in two product groups: Specialty Foods, the largest and fastest growing division and Glassware and Candles. These groups operate autonomously, allowing each to focus on their specific customer base and market opportunities.

The First Colony Coffee & Tea Company is owned by 96,000 Colombian coffee growers, who are members of the Columbian coffee cooperative, Federaci�n Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia - Comit� Departamental de Cafeteros de Antioquia. They supply First Colony with its raw material -- coffee beans. The company makes hand-selected, hand-roasted, Arabica coffees under the First Colony name. In addition it makes branded flavored coffees for Ghirardelli, Jack Daniel's, Southern Comfort, Tia Maria, and Carolan's Irish Cream. First Colony also makes Benchley teas. The company primarily serves the restaurant industry. It offers private-label services, supplying some of the US's largest department stores.

No vampires allowed at Vessey & Company. Not that they'd want to hang around at this California vegetable grower's operations anyway. Vessey's main crop is garlic (including the giant but mild elephant garlic), which it offers braided, peeled, or in bulk. Vessey also grows some 25 other conventional and organic crops, including artichokes, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, spinach, cauliflower, melons, and onions on its 10,000 acres. Located in the Imperial Valley, the company was founded in 1910 by Elton Vessey and is owned and operated by the fourth generation of the Vessey family.

Smithfield Foods Ltd was formed in 2004 from a merger between two independent meat companies. The Norwich Food Company, which specialised in the supply of meat, poultry and game to retailers, wholesalers, food processors and caterers, and Ridpath PEK, an importer of canned and deli meats established in the UK since the mid 1970's.There was little overlap in their product ranges or client base and the merger has produced a company with a wide range of skills and experience across many industry sectors, from retail to wholesale and independent trading.

Drinks Americas Holdings, Ltd. develops, produces, markets, and distributes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in the United States and internationally. The company's alcoholic beverages include Olifant Vodka, Trump Super Premium Vodka, Old Whiskey River Bourbon, Aguila Tequila, Leyrat Cognac, American BadAss Beer, and Damiana, as well as Trump Flavored Vodka comprising Trump Premium citron, grape, orange, and raspberry flavors. It also imports wines primarily from France and Italy, which include Leyrat Estate Bottled Cognac. Drinks Americas Holdings serves beverage wholesalers. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Wilton, Connecticut.

Gerber's more than 200 baby offerings include the almost ubiquitous glass jars of baby food. Gerber Products company, which had its beginnings in 1927 in Dorothy Gerber's kitchen, also makes baby cereal, juices, and toddler food, along with baby bath and skin care products, bottles, teethers, pacifiers, breastfeeding accessories, spill-proof cups, and infant toys. Its Gerber Life Insurance Company offers various whole and term life products. Gerber feeds, soothes, and amuses babies worldwide.

Quantum Foods doesn't need physics to portion out its products. The company, founded in 1990, processes beef into individual steaks which are then sold to customers in the foodservice industry, such as restaurant chains, airlines, and the US military, as well as to retail outlets including supermarkets, general merchandisers, and convenience stores. Its products include ribeye, T-bone, skirt, strip, tenderloin, and porterhouse steaks. The company also provides fully cooked chicken-breast entrees. Its brands include Quantum Steakhouse (beef) and Simply Gourmet (chicken).

Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries specialize in the production and distribution of instant noodles, beverages, and baked goods in China. Tingyi, is the Chinese market leader in instant noodles, ready-to-drink teas, and bottled water. Tingyi company also makes fruit juices, egg rolls, and sandwich crackers. Tingyi distributes its products, under the Master Kong brand throughout China via a country-wide sales network consisting sales offices and warehouses that serve food wholesale and food retail customers. Tingyi's management owns a controlling interest in the firm.

Koninklijke FrieslandCampina N.V. provide people around the world with all the good things milk has to offer, with products that play an important role in people’s nutrition and well-being. Together with our member dairy farmers, we are milk experts who are continually expanding our knowledge of the applications of milk.

The Ashers really love to smother things in chocolate. Asher's Chocolates manufactures chocolate and confections, including chocolate-covered pretzels potato chips, and graham crackers. Asher's Chocolates, Inc. also produces boxed assortments (including truffles, chews, nuts, cordials, and creams) and gift baskets, fudge, pecan-caramel patties, almond bark, and sugar-free assortments. Asher's Chocolates sells its products through its own retail store (in Souderton, Pennsylvania -- near Philadelphia), by mail- order, and online on its Web site. The family-owned company was founded in 1892.

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