1. As American As Budweiser and Pickles? Nation-Building in American Food Industries By Donna R. Gabbacia

2. Food as Culture Food is an integral part of every culture People identify with food and define themselves by traditional dishes Food is part of ethnic and racial diversity Most cultures have unique dishes that reflect their history and embody their way of life Food says something about the marketplace & the industry of nations

3. American Culture… Oh Wait… Americans lack traditional/cultural foods unique to U.S It is how American food is produced, not how it tastes or where it originated that makes it “American” The Global community considers mass-produced, processed & packaged foods to be “American” Definition of American food changed over time from barreled meats & preserves to Coca~Cola & Hamburger

4. American “Genius” for Business After 1840 - transition from small farm producers to city dwelling consumers Food had to be transported to urban areas in mass quantities Opened opportunities for new industries such as bureaucratic management, agribusiness, processing & preserving on a large scale

5. American “Genius” for Business According to the NBA, in the 19th & early 20th century, business & industry were dominated by American-born leaders but were far more open to immigrants from Europe than to African Americans or women However, this diversity is misleading since foreigners & American-born developed different food industries

6. American “Genius” for Business For example, foreigners dominated wine making & distilling whereas cereal manufacturers & heads of large fruit & vegetable canning operations & dairy processing enterprises were largely American-born European immigrants had advantages in locating & introducing technologies developed abroad because many of the technical innovations that made mass production possible came from Europe

7. Business Cont. Xenophobia defined what has become “American” in the food industry Multiculturalism had not yet become part of the American identity, & was not accepted, although citizens of foreign descent fueled the industry: Kraft - Canadian Heinz – German Campbell’s, Kellogg’s, Dole, Post- Anglo-American

8. Business Cont. Food industries dominated by at least third generation Anglo-Americans: Soft drinks, gum, fast-food Industries that put wealthy, second generation foreign immigrants in positions of power: -Meat packing, sugar refining, retail groceries

9. Not So genius… Successful businesses did not rely on new innovations, but rather ideas and principals brought to U.S by immigrants Bilingual foreigners introduced & promoted technologies abroad Mass production technology came from Europe -Busch Beer- pasteurized for shipping to U.S, tweaked recipe -Different than beer in Germany, but appreciated in U.S

10. Not So genius… Foreign-based businesses used culturally neutral symbols instead of calling attention to their nationalities -Example: A.J. Heinz Standardized products found success on the global market & were labeled as “American”

11. Not So genius… These business strategies of the earliest big businessmen were precursors of “Coca Cola” or “Model T” marketing strategies that rightly assumed standardized products because they appealed to the largest group of consumers This was the foundation on which products could “become American” in the national market

12. Alcohol Niche Alcohol in the U.S. was mostly foreign- produced Prohibition had xenophiobic elements As a result, Alcoholic beverages were not seen as “American”

13. Alcohol Niche Foreigners initially had trouble working with & interpreting the U.S government & market Alcohol became one of the largest food industries It was more common for foreigners to pass on the family business to their children than for Americans to do so

14. The consequences of this division between foreign-born & American-born not only helped shape American consumer identities but also held the potential for shaping American business practices into the 20th century by labeling some products as clearly “American” Defining “American”

15. Busch and Heinz A Tale of Two Successful Foreign Companies

16. Adolfus Busch Married into the Anheuser family, inherited a run-down brewery in Germany-turned it into the largest brewery in the world Rich, but faced criticism for being the ‘strength’ of the prohibition movement Experimented with Budweiser to suit U.S. tastes Beer continued to be seen as foreign, but found a niche in the U.S. The company stayed in the family for four generations

17. H. J. Heinz American born, second generation German Initial failure during depression Branched out into pre-prepared foods in cans Emphasized cleanliness, packed in glass jars until the business got too big Emphasized humble roots Good publicity Passed on business to son

18. Meatpacking: foreign-born & second generation meatpackers refused to join the National Packing Company & chose to remain independent Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle & Pure Food and Drug Act led to intense consumer scrutiny, followed by trust-busting & regulation of the meatpacking industry Growing Food Industry

19. Consolidation of the brewing industry was too risky The result was that neither of the county’s largest food industries could become foundations for corporate consolidation However, business enterprises founded by Native-born Americans in milling, cereal, & canning later became the foundations of the earliest food conglomerates, such as General Mills & Campbell’s soup Growing Food Industry

20. In Conclusion… Foreign influence ultimately shaped the U.S. food industry & defined our ideas of “American” cuisine Xenophobia produced some of the commodities which we hold dear-- beer & pickles-- & which we think of as “American” There is no real “American” food culture What does American food say about our history, culture, and tradition?