Rich Products Corporation (also known as Rich's) is a privately held multinational food products corporation headquartered in Buffalo, New York. The company was founded in 1945 by Robert E. Rich, Sr., after his development of a non-dairy whipped topping based on soybean oil, 21 years before Cool Whip.[2] Since then, the company has expanded its non-dairy frozen food offerings and also supplies products to retailers, bakeries, and foodservice providers.
Rich's employs 11,000 employees worldwide, with manufacturing facilities in many countries. The company sells more than 2,000 products in 112 countries. It currently ranks number 116 on Forbes' list of America's Largest Private Companies.
In addition to Farm Rich, the company sells products under other brands it has acquired, such as SeaPak, French Meadow, Casa Di Bertacchi, Byron's Barbecue; Carvel, F'real and Jon Donaire. CoffeeRich is one of the company's few exceptions, with nearly all of its products not being sold under the Rich brand name.
Company history
1940s
Rich's began in 1945, when Robert E. Rich, Sr. created a cream less expensive than dairy-based whipped cream and lasted longer in the refrigerator, and could reportedly "remain frozen for more than a year without degrading."[3]
1950s
In 1954, the company introduced the first commercial line of frozen éclairs and crème puffs.[4]
1960s
Rich's expanded further, introducing CoffeeRich, a non-dairy frozen creamer in 1961.[4] The company also constructed a manufacturing plant in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, the following year. This facility is now known as Rich Products of Canada, Ltd. The acquisition of Elm Tree Baking Co., in 1969 expanded Rich's products to include frozen baked goods.[5]
1970s
Rich's acquired nine new production facilities, as well as SeaPak, a St. Simons, Georgia based company that produces frozen seafood specialties. In 1973, they bought the rights to rename the Buffalo Bills stadium to Rich Stadium for 25 years (a total cost of $1.5 million).[5][6]
1980s
In 1980, Rich's introduced Freeze-Flo, a process allowing foods to remain soft while frozen. It also introduced another product, On Top, a non-dairy dessert topping, in 1986. Rich's also expanded its product line through the acquisition of Casa Di Bertacchi, a specialty meat and frozen pasta producer, in 1982, and Byron's, a barbecue and meat producer, in 1986.[5]
1990s
During the 1990s, Rich's expanded internationally, opening facilities in Mexico, London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Australia, among others.[7]
In 1997 the company was described as a "20-plant, $1 billion global food-processing corporation."[8]
2000s
Since 2000, Rich's has acquired a number of companies, including frozen dessert and bakery mix producer JW Allen & Co.,[9] Jon Donaire Desserts,[10] and donut producer Rolling Pin Manufacturing.[11] Rich's integration of French Meadow Bakery and acquisition of World Catch LLC (all-natural seafood)[12] and GLP Manufacturing (gluten-free baked goods)[13] entered the company into the health and wellness food sector.[5]
In 2005, the company celebrated 60 years as a family-owned company with the "60 Delicious Years" worldwide birthday party on March 14. As part of the celebration, Rich's renovated lunch and break rooms at all of its manufacturing sites and launched an employee recognition program.[14]
With over 2,000 products sold in "more than 85 countries,"[1] 2005 sales worldwide was $2.5 billion.
2010s
On August 23, 2013, Rich's celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Fort Erie, Ontario plant.[15]
On June 24, 2014, Rich's unveiled its new Innovation Center and Atrium @ Rich's.[16] On 1 January, 2020, Richard Ferranti became the new CEO of Rich's.[17]
2020s
in January 2020, Rich's announced the acquisition of two manufacturing plants from TreeHouse Foods, followed by two other acquisitions in February; Rizzuto Foods, which manufactures pizza products, and Morey's Seafood International, a Minnesota-based seafood processing and distribution company.[18][19]
In July 2021, Rich Products announced the acquisition of Signature Breads.[20][better source needed]
Product portfolio
Rich's offers a variety of products, including toppings and icings; sweet goods; finished desserts; appetizers; bread and rolls; pizza products; Italian specialties; barbecue; and shrimp and seafood.[21]
In addition to the Rich's brand (Farm Rich), the company mostly[22] sells products under other brands it has acquired, such as SeaPak; French Meadow, Casa Di Bertacchi; Byron's Barbecue; Carvel, f'real and Jon Donaire.[23] CoffeeRich[24][8][25] is one of the company's few exceptions; nearly all of its products are "sold not under the Rich brand name."[1][26]
Legal battles
Dairy manufacturers filed multiple lawsuits against Rich's.[27][28][29] Some of the company's early-day advertising used the term "coffee whitener" rather than non-dairy to avoid pushback from dairy manufacturers.[30][31]
Rich Products was sued in 36 states according to the founder's older son Robert E. Rich Jr.[32] Eventually, his father's "court victories played an important role in legitimizing nondairy products."[1]
Controversies and animal welfare
Rich's is under scrutiny for alleged practices compromising animal welfare and food safety. Leading this charge is UK-based Equitas, launching a campaign to inform Rich's customers of these concerns.[33] Of particular concern is Rich's continued use of battery cage eggs, a practice criticized worldwide for its cruelty and food safety risks including in the EU Directive 1999/74/EC, as hens endure deplorable conditions, feces accumulate near the eggs, and deceased hens often decompose near those still laying eggs for human consumption.[34] Amid a global shift towards more humane practices in the food industry, Rich's faces increasing pressure to adopt a timeline for exclusively using cage-free eggs in all its operations.
Sports
In 1972, Rich Products signed a 25-year deal for the naming rights to the Buffalo Bills' new stadium, which was under construction in Orchard Park.[35] The Robert E. Rich family reportedly[36] at one point suggested calling the stadium Coffee Rich Park.[22]
From 1973 to 1998 this stadium was known as Rich Stadium. When the original deal expired in 1998 and Rich chose not to renew at a much higher rate, the stadium was renamed in honor of Ralph C. Wilson, the Bills' owner and founder (as of 2021, the stadium is now called Highmark Stadium).[37]
On November 4, 2010, Bob Rich announced that Rich Products would be the official kit sponsor of English Northern League Division One team Bedlington Terriers F.C.[42]
^ abMost of the Rich Products Corporation's offerings are not crowned with the Rich company/family name. Coffee Rich, introduced in 1961, (at which point Pennsylvania claimed violation of state dairy labeling laws, section 235) was then/is perhaps the best known and longest existing one. See "History of Soy Ice Cream and Other Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts" ISBN1928914594, by William Shurtleff & Akiko Aoyagi (2013), p. 296
^"1963.. in Baltimore ... Rich deliberately used the generic disclaimer coffee whitener rather than non-dairy creamer to avoid as much as possible stepping on the toes of dairy interests."
