Salada tea
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food/Beverage |
| Founded | 1892 |
| Founder | Peter Charles Larkin |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Tea |
| Parent | Redco Foods, Inc. (United States) Unilever (Canada) |
Salada tea is a brand of tea sold in the United States by Salada Foods, a division of Redco Foods, Inc.; and in Canada by Unilever.
History
Salada tea was founded in 1892 by Montreal businessman Peter C. Larkin. Larkin's main innovation was to replace tea sold loose from tea chests with a product packaged in foil. This helped establish a uniform flavor for Salada and the promise of consistent freshness to its drinkers. It became one of the leading teas in Canada and the northeastern United States.
By 1917, Salada was so popular in the United States that it was able to establish its own headquarters, blending, and packaging plant at 330 Stuart Street in Boston, Massachusetts.[1] Designed by architects Densmore and LeClear, the building featured large bronze doors by Henry Wilson inscribed with images of the history of the Ceylon tea trade, as well as Larkin's own contributions to a commitment to quality in the field.[2] Although the building has changed hands several times, the doors are still there.[3]
By the 1950s, Salada had established plants across North America. In 1957, it was acquired by Shirriff-Horsey.[4] In 1969, it was acquired by Kellogg.[5] In 1988, Salada was acquired by Redco Foods, Inc., a company formed to produce Red Rose Tea in the U.S. under license from Unilever.[6] Not long thereafter, Redco sold Salada (Canada) to Unilever, so that each company produced both brands in their respective country. Since 1995, Redco has been owned by Teekanne of Germany.[7]
Salada USA is now a division of Redco Foods in Little Falls, New York.[1] Salada Canada is a brand of Unilever Canada.
References
- ^ Ukers, William Harrison (1935). All about tea. Vol. 2. The Tea and coffee trade journal company. Retrieved 2015-03-24.
- ^ Shand-Tucci, Douglass (1999). Built in Boston: City and Suburb, 1800-2000. Univ of Massachusetts Press. pp. 199–200. ISBN 978-1558492011. Retrieved 2015-03-24.
- ^ "Salada Tea Doors: The history of the tea trade is told in bas-relief on this historic pair of Boston doors". Atlas Obscura. Atlas Obscura. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
- ^ "Salada History". Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ "Kellogg Company". Company Histories. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ Kidd, Kenneth (17 February 1988). "Red Rose seller agrees to buy Kellogg's Salada tea business". Toronto Star. p. C3.
- ^ "Email from John Rigg". TeaCard.com.
