MCCORMICK
From Basement to Business Empire
McCormick was founded by Willoughby McCormick in 1889 in Baltimore, Maryland. McCormick started out in a single basement room producing flavored extracts, fruit syrup, juice, and root beer. McCormick and his 3 assistants sold his products door-to-door until 1892. The business was immediately successful to the point where McCormick had to hire dedicated sales staff to run the delivery routes and open a headquarters building in the same year. McCormick later entered the spice industry in 1896 by purchasing the Emmett Spice Company in Philadelphia. All products, records, and the headquarters were destroyed in 1904 due to the Great Baltimore Fire. The headquarters was rebuilt as a 5-story building in less than 10 months. McCormick later introduced Bee Brand tea in 1910 and upgraded their packaging from paper boxes to lithographed tin cans that ensured consistent quality and freshness.
McCORMICK THROUGH THE YEARS
Throughout the twentieth century, McCormick continued to expand by building a 9-story factory and headquarters and developing new seasoning blends, becoming one of the largest spice manufacturers in the world. The trademark Mc logo was created in 1941, providing high-contrast visibility. The new logo, combined with the tin canisters, led McCormick to win seven national packaging awards. McCormick acquired A. Schilling & Company of San Francisco in 1947, ending the division of the spice trade by the Mississippi River. McCormick could now operate and distribute products coast-to-coast. McCormick continued to release new spices for years and eventually acquired their rival brand, Old Bay, in 1990. McCormick remains a global leader in the spice industry, bringing in an estimated $6.72 billion in annual revenue, and is distributed in more than 150 countries, maintaining their longstanding legacy.
