Hunt's

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Short description|Brand of canned tomato products}} {{redirect|Hunts|the singular|Hunt (disambiguation)}} {{Use American English|date=April 2026}} {{infobox brand | logo = 200px | name = Hunt's | type = Preserved tomato products | currentowner = Conagra Brands<br />{{small|(Century Pacific Food in the Philippines)}} | origin = | introduced = {{start date and age|1888}} | discontinued = | related = | markets = | previousowners = | trademarkregistrations = | ambassador = | tagline = | website = {{URL|http://www.hunts.com}} }} {{multiple image | align = right | direction = horizontal | footer = Workers at Val Vita, which later<br />became Hunt Foods in<br />Fullerton, California ({{circa|1940}}) | footer_align = center | image1 = Val Vita Foods-Hunts foods workers circa 1940.jpeg | width1 = 130 | image2 = Val Vita Foods workers Fullerton, California 1940.jpeg | width2 = 112 }}

'''Hunt's''' is a brand of preserved tomato products owned by Conagra Brands.

==History== The company was founded in 1888, in Sebastopol, California, as the '''Hunt Bros. Fruit Packing Co.''', by Joseph and William Hunt. The brothers relocated to nearby Santa Rosa in 1890, and then to Hayward in 1895. This small canning operation grew rapidly, focused on canning the products of California's booming fruit and vegetable industries. By 1941, the plant shipped a hundred million cans of soup, fruits, vegetables, and juices annually.<ref>Workers of the Writers' Program. "Los Angeles: A Guide to the City and its Environs". Hastings House, 1941, page. 346.</ref> In 1943, Hunt's was taken over by Norton Simon's '''Val Vita Food Products''' – a competing firm founded in the early 1930s and based in Fullerton, California. The merged firm kept the ''Hunt's'' name and incorporated as '''Hunt Food and Industries, Inc.''' The new management led by Norton Simon decided to focus the company on canned tomato products, particularly prepared tomato sauce.

The Wesson Oil & Snowdrift Company merged with Hunt's Foods, Inc. in 1960 to become Hunt-Wesson Foods. Hunt-Wesson merged with the McCall Corporation and Canada Dry to form Norton Simon Inc. in 1968. Norton Simon was acquired by Esmark in 1983, which merged with Beatrice Foods the next year. In 1985, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts acquired Beatrice with the goal of selling off businesses. Hunt-Wesson, the company which included the Hunt's brands, was sold in 1990 to agribusiness giant ConAgra Foods. In 1999, ConAgra Grocery Products (the former Hunt-Wesson) moved from Fullerton to Irvine, California.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Strickland |first=Daryl |date=November 23, 1999 |title=ConAgra Leases Most of Old Fluor Space |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-23-fi-36675-story.html |access-date=July 19, 2018 |issn=0458-3035}}</ref> The Irvine office was closed in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web| title = ConAgra moving Irvine operations to cut costs| work = Orange County Register| access-date = July 19, 2018| date = February 3, 2006| url = https://www.ocregister.com/2006/02/03/conagra-moving-irvine-operations-to-cut-costs/}}</ref>

In 1988, Hunt's catsup changed its label to ketchup.<ref>{{cite web |author=Hitt |first=Caitlyn |title=The Unexpected History of Ketchup |url=https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/history-of-ketchup-origin-story |website=thrillist.com}}</ref> In May 2010, Hunt's ketchup temporarily removed high fructose corn syrup from its ingredients. The new ingredients were "tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, salt and other seasonings".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news-record.com/content/2010/05/17/article/high_fructose_corn_syrup_cut_from_hunts_ketchup |title=High-fructose corn syrup cut from Hunt's ketchup|work=News & Record|agency=Associated Press|date=May 17, 2010|access-date=May 17, 2010}}</ref> The product changed back to high fructose corn syrup in May 2012.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 31, 2012 |title=ConAgra switches back to HFCS in Hunt's ketchup citing lackluster demand |work=foodnavigator-usa.com |url=http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Market/ConAgra-switches-back-to-HFCS-in-Hunt-s-ketchup-citing-lackluster-demand |access-date=January 10, 2013}}</ref>

In December 2018, NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed an endorsement deal with Hunt's. Mahomes is well-known for his love of ketchup, even putting it on unconventional items such as steak and macaroni and cheese.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wells|first=Adam|title=Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes Signs Endorsement Contract with Hunt's Ketchup|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2811640-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-signs-endorsement-contract-with-hunts-ketchup|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=Bleacher Report|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=December 19, 2018|title=Patrick Mahomes signs endorsement deal with Hunt's ketchup|url=https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2018/12/19/patrick-mahomes-signs-endorsement-deal-with-hunts-ketchup/|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=Chiefs Wire|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Product branding== Besides several varieties of canned tomato sauce, the Hunt's brand appears on tomato paste, diced, whole, stewed, pureed and crushed tomatoes, organic and No Salt Added tomato products, spaghetti sauce, ketchup, barbecue sauce and Hunt's ''Family Favorites'' line of canned recipe helpers. The Hunt's brand name has also appeared on canned potatoes, canned peaches, Manwich brand sloppy joe products and Hunt's Snack Pack Pudding. Reddi-Wip whipped cream was originally also under the Hunt's banner.

==See also== * H. J. Heinz Company

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.hunts.com/ Hunt's corporate website]

Category:1888 establishments in California Category:American companies established in 1888 Category:Food and drink companies established in 1888 Category:1943 mergers and acquisitions Category:1960 mergers and acquisitions Category:1968 mergers and acquisitions Category:1983 mergers and acquisitions Category:1984 mergers and acquisitions Category:1985 mergers and acquisitions Category:1990 mergers and acquisitions Category:Barbecue sauces Category:Ketchup Category:Conagra Brands brands Category:Brand name condiments Category:Companies based in Hayward, California Category:History of Hayward, California Category:Companies based in Santa Rosa, California Category:Food and drink in the San Francisco Bay Area Category:Food and drink companies based in California Category:Century Pacific Food brands Category:Pasta sauce brands