Story

LEADER OF THE PACK
Wisconsin's First Commercial Canning Company

In 1883, Albert Landreth relocated from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the Midwest, with the realization that Wisconsin's rich soil could produce a superior pea. He began his operation out of the kitchen of a small hotel on the shores of Lake Michigan. Those early experiments with the canning of green peas led to the building of his first canning plant in 1887, built directly off of the hotel. His resulting legacy was to have Wisconsin's first commercial canning company, and perhaps more importantly, to further the cause for vegetable processing in the Midwest.

By 1902, there were no less than 2000 firms engaged in packing canned goods in the United States. Shortly thereafter, the Albert Landreth Seed Company merged with the Wisconsin Pea Canners Company to ensure their place in the quickly expanding canning industry. In 1922, a group of investors purchased the Company, and renamed it Lakeside Packing Company. By this time, Lakeside had plants throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota. Today, after one final name change, that Corporation is known as Lakeside Foods, Inc.

It was understood that production capacity alone was not enough to ensure Lakeside's continued success. The Company realized that production methods, food science, and even community involvement wouldshape its future.

It was through an association with the University of Wisconsin's College of Agriculture in 1894 that Lakeside developed the knowledge to increase production through process innovations, and learned to create reliable quality controls. The Company would enlist the aid of Dr. H.L. Russell, who later became the Dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Russell helped the Company to develop refined control over the timing of the canning processes, and helped to establish the temperature controls needed to minimize spoilage.

Other innovations helped to differentiate the Company in the early 20^th century. In 1909, a decision was made to contract with farmers for growing crops, rather than renting or leasing the land from them. Using this method, Lakeside assured itself of higher quality raw products, because farmers who grew crops for the Company were now paid extra for producing higher quality, more saleable products. That same year, the Company was one of several in Wisconsin to experiment with a second planting of peas. The experiment worked, and the notion of second plantings and staggered plantings gained new credibility.

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Pea Podder, c. 1985

While Lakeside Foods' foundation was built on pea production, its product line has expanded since its inception. Green beans were quickly added to the line, followed by tomatoes, cabbage, pumpkin, pickles, olives, wax beans, sauerkraut, corn, pork and beans, and red kidney beans by 1923. The product offering has gone through various changes since then, but the core items remain, including peas, beans and corn.

As the Second World War approached, Lakeside Packing Company, with its substantial line of products, was in a strong position to aid in supporting our troops overseas. The Company devoted sixty percent of its production to the war effort, and shifted much of its production to glass jar packaging to free up tin and steel to be used in armament for all branches of the service. Labor shortages placed an additional burden on production, so more was asked of Lakeside's people. Lakeside's contributions to the war effort were recognized when it was awarded our country's Presidential "A" award in 1944.

Lakeside Focuses on Private Label

Up until the late 1950's, Lakeside's emphasis had been on its own quality labels, including "Lakeside," "Hobby," and "Eureka" brands. By positioning the Company to eventually become private-label-only, Lakeside was enabling itself to better focus its resources on satisfying the production, quality and service needs of many of the leading food retailers and wholesale distributors of the era. This was the most substantial change in the Company's direction since Albert Landreth decided to focus on pea canning rather than seed production back in 1896. This private label focus continues to distinguish Lakeside Foods today, with virtually all of the Company's vegetables being sold under its customers' brand names.

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Lakeside label, c. 1939

Lakeside Foods, with an average annual employment of 1700 people, has always sought to grow through diversification in the food processing industry. Its involvement in the USDA meat program began in 1975. In 1982, Lakeside entered the frozen vegetable market, with major investments made at the Manitowoc and Plainview Plants. The Company's product offering has grown into a diverse line of nutritional food products including canned and frozen vegetables, canned dry beans (kidney, black, pork & beans, etc.), jellies and preserves, frozen and shelf-stable meals, canned meats, organic products, health beverage supplements, non-dairy frozen dessert toppings, salsa, and other sauces.

The Company is now positioned as a single source Midwest supplier for these items. Lakeside Foods currently has processing plants in Manitowoc, WI; Belgium, WI; Random Lake, WI; Reedsburg, WI; Seymour, WI; Plainview, MN; Brooten, MN; Owatonna, MN; New Richmond, WI; and Eden, WI. The Company has distribution centers in Manitowoc, Plainview, Belgium, Seymour, Reedsburg, Owatonna, New Richmond, Eden, and Poynette.

Lakeside takes great pride in its modern facilities and equipment. The Manitowoc Distribution Center received a major addition in 1995. In 1996 a new frozen vegetable plant was built in Reedsburg with state-of-the-art equipment. Also in 1996, the Manitowoc Plant was completely renovated with modern equipment. In 1998, Lakeside purchased a two-year-old frozen pea and corn processing plant in Brooten, MN. In 1999 the Company purchased Seymour Canning Company, including a facility capable of processing both canned and frozen items.

Most recently, Lakeside completed the acquisition of three former Chiquita Processed Foods facilities located in Eden WI; New Richmond, WI; and Owatonna, MN. The addition of these modern plants to our current plant locations greatly diversifies our growing areas throughout the Midwest and will allow us to continue to grow our canned and frozen business, both domestically and internationally.

Even further, with the continued growth of Lakeside Foods' export business, its message of quality, reliability and private label focus in being heard internationally in 14 countries including Norway, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Guam, the Phillippines, Tahiti, Samoa, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.

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Lakeside Foods Manitowoc Plant

It is fitting that even today Lakeside Foods' processing plant in Manitowoc, WI is built around the old hotel where Albert Landreth began his pea production back in 1887. In fact, the hotel served as Lakeside's corporate headquarters, with some renovations, right up to 1999. As the Company's corporate headquarters were moved in 1999 to a larger and more modern facility, it was symbolic that the processing plant remained, built around the site where it all began. Lakeside will continue to look to the future and its great potential, but the Company will always be built around the people and the principles that were set forth 120 years ago in a small Midwestern town on the shores of Lake Michigan.