Jolly Green Giant

Let's see in 1925 the Minnesota Valley Canning Company introduced an unusually large pea, but with a flavor, sweetness, and tenderness Early June Peas couldn't match. Thus, I was born to describe the new peas. In 1928 I appeared for the first time and the flourishing young company began to expand operations, adding canning facilities in Cokato, Montgomery, and Winstead, Minnesota. By 1930, Minnesota was the corn center of the world and Minnesota Valley had emerged as one of the country's largest producers of sweet corn. The company soon had five canneries in Minnesota in addition to the original facility in LeSueur. In 1933 Gravity separators for peas were put into use when it was discovered that tender peas floated when placed in a liquid of a certain density. New methods so delicately measured the nuances of pea quality that the company began separating peas into ten distinct grades. In 1937 A company researcher perfected the heat unit theory, which enabled field men to "program" vegetables to arrive at the cannery on an orderly schedule. Production crews began harvesting day or night, which inspired the advertising slogan: "Picked at the fleeting moment of perfect flavor." In 1950 I came to symbolize not only the pea, but the company as well. In 1950, Minnesota Valley Canning Company disappeared completely behind the trademark it had created and became officially, Green Giant Company. Until 1961, frozen vegetables in bulk hadn't stirred much interest among American housewives. The company experimented with vegetables frozen in butter sauce and placed in a flavor-tight pouch. By 1963, frozen prepared vegetables accounted for the largest part of a $15 Million increase in sales. Green Giant is a company of firsts: the fir st yellow corn, the first "Green Giant" pea, and in 1963, the first mushrooms in a glass jar. In 1969 I introduced the first frozen corn-on-the-cob. In 1979 Green Giant® merged with The Pillsbury Company to form one of the largest providers of delicious and wholesome food in the world. In 1993 I introduced "Create a Meal!" brand meal starters, giving busy cooks a delicious and healthy way to prepare meals in a flash! I encoure you to"Give Peas a Chance."