History
In 1945, the National Research Corporation (NRC) of Boston, Massachusetts, developed a method of concentrating orange juice into a powder using a high-vacuum evaporation process previously developed for dehydrating medical products for use in the U.S. war effort. The US Army had a need for 500,000 lb (227,000 kg) for the war, so NRC created a new branch, the Florida Foods Corporation. Led by John M. Fox, the company won the government contract for $750,000. The war ended and the contract was canceled before the factory could be built, but with investment, the company moved forward with a product.
Rather than selling powder to the public market, the company decided to create frozen orange juice concentrate, using a process that eliminated 80 percent of the water in orange juice. A Boston marketing firm came up with the name Minute Maid, implying the juice was quick and easy to prepare.
The first shipment took place in April 1946. The same month, the company was renamed Vacuum Foods Corporation. With limited funds for advertising, Fox himself went door to door giving free samples, until demand skyrocketed.
The ability to purchase fresh-tasting orange juice at any time of year, far from where oranges are grown, proved popular, and led to the company's national success. Additionally, Bing Crosby was made their first pitchman in 1949 who was the worlds biggest star by that time being in movies, radio, records and soon TV. At the time, the IRS taxed the stars 77% on their income but this deal circumvented it as a capital gains tax.
In October 1949 the company adopted the name Minute Maid Corp.
The Minute Maid company was purchased by Coca-Cola in 1960.
In 1967, Minute Maid relocated to Houston, Texas, and is joined with Duncan Foods to form the Coca-Cola Foods division.
In 1970, the company was involved in a scandal in the United States about bad housing, often referred to as "slave quarters," and working conditions of Minute Maid farm laborers in Florida. The United Farm Workers stepped in to support the workers. NBC reported on the issue in a 1970 documentary called Chet Huntley's Migrant: An NBC White Paper. In response to the bad press and a boycott in Florida, the company established a program that improved the workers' situation.
In 1973, the company released its first ready-to-drink, chilled orange juice product in the United States, entering an "orange juice war" with Tropicana.
In 1996, the name was changed from Minute Maid Corp. to The Minute Maid Company.
The Coca-Cola Company sold its Minute Maid orange groves in Florida in 1997. The United Farm Workers again took the side of the orange growers during this time.
In 2001, the Minute Maid division of Coca-Cola launched the Simply Orange brand.
In 2002, Minute Maid bought the naming rights to re-brand the Houston Astros ballpark from Enron Field to Minute Maid Park.
In 2003, Minute Maid's division fully merges with Coca-Cola North America.
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