Difference between revisions of "Hunt Brothers Packing Company"

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[[File:Hunt_Cannery_LG_Lib.jpeg|240px|thumb|right|Hunt Brothers Packing Company, Los Gatos, early 20th Century]]
 
[[File:Hunt_Cannery_LG_Lib.jpeg|240px|thumb|right|Hunt Brothers Packing Company, Los Gatos, early 20th Century]]
Long-lived canning company, started in Santa Rosa in the 19th century but expanding to Hayward and other places.  Hunts bought up several canneries after 1900, including Los Gatos Canneries in 1906 and San Jose's venerable Golden Gate Cannery in 1918.  [[Julius Landsberger]] bought the company around 1918<ref>Hunt Brothers Rumor: March 3, 1918 San Francisco Chronicle. "Hunt Bros Rumor Negotiations for the sale of a considerable block of the stock of Hunt Brothers Company to Julius A Landsberger are In progress.  It Is understood that Landsberger will acquire the majority of the Joseph Hunt holdings. Hunt Brothers Company Is one of the oldest fruit canning establishments In the city with offices at 112 Market street. C H Bradt, one of the owners, said yeaterday that no radical change was contemplated In the management of the business but that the announcement of the Landsberger purchase probably would be made some time this week."</ref>, and was president at least through 1921.
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'''Hunt Brothers Fruit Packing Company''' was an early California canner started by W. C. Hunt and Joseph H. Hunt<ref>Biography of Joseph H. Hunt: [http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ca/state1/biographies/jhhunt.html  History of the New California Its Resources and People], Lewis Publishing Company, 1905.</ref>.  The business was started in Santa Rosa in the 19th century but expanding to Hayward and other places.  Hunts bought up several canneries after 1900, including Los Gatos Canneries in 1906 and San Jose's venerable Golden Gate Cannery in 1918.  [[Julius Landsberger]] bought the company around 1918<ref>Hunt Brothers Rumor: March 3, 1918 San Francisco Chronicle. "Hunt Bros Rumor Negotiations for the sale of a considerable block of the stock of Hunt Brothers Company to Julius A Landsberger are In progress.  It Is understood that Landsberger will acquire the majority of the Joseph Hunt holdings. Hunt Brothers Company Is one of the oldest fruit canning establishments In the city with offices at 112 Market street. C H Bradt, one of the owners, said yeaterday that no radical change was contemplated In the management of the business but that the announcement of the Landsberger purchase probably would be made some time this week."</ref>, and was president at least through 1921.
  
 
Hunts became part of Norton Simon's Val Vita Foods conglamerate in the 1940's and still exists as a modern-day brand.
 
Hunts became part of Norton Simon's Val Vita Foods conglamerate in the 1940's and still exists as a modern-day brand.
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| Davis || 1963-1999 || ||  
 
| Davis || 1963-1999 || ||  
 
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| Exeter || 1921 || ||  
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| Exeter || 1921 || || "Near Kirk Hotel"<ref>[http://cityofexeter.com/about-8187/gallery/historical/1910s-219 City of Exeter Historic Photos].</ref>.
 
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| Hayward || 1891-1981 || [http://maps.google.com/maps?q=A%2C%20B%2C%20C%20street%20at%20railroad%20tracks,Hayward A, B, C street at railroad tracks] || Had glass manufacturing plant, can making company.  February 1923 Western Canner and Packer said that 600,000 cases expected to be packed in 1923, plant should be in operation from March to November.  
 
| Hayward || 1891-1981 || [http://maps.google.com/maps?q=A%2C%20B%2C%20C%20street%20at%20railroad%20tracks,Hayward A, B, C street at railroad tracks] || Had glass manufacturing plant, can making company.  February 1923 Western Canner and Packer said that 600,000 cases expected to be packed in 1923, plant should be in operation from March to November.  

Revision as of 21:29, 26 November 2013

Summary
Business

Cannery
Hunt Brothers Packing Company, Los Gatos, early 20th Century

Hunt Brothers Fruit Packing Company was an early California canner started by W. C. Hunt and Joseph H. Hunt[1]. The business was started in Santa Rosa in the 19th century but expanding to Hayward and other places. Hunts bought up several canneries after 1900, including Los Gatos Canneries in 1906 and San Jose's venerable Golden Gate Cannery in 1918. Julius Landsberger bought the company around 1918[2], and was president at least through 1921.

Hunts became part of Norton Simon's Val Vita Foods conglamerate in the 1940's and still exists as a modern-day brand.

Locations

Location Years Address Details
Campbell 1946- Harrison Ave. Former Drew Cannery.
Davis 1963-1999
Exeter 1921 "Near Kirk Hotel"[3].
Hayward 1891-1981 A, B, C street at railroad tracks Had glass manufacturing plant, can making company. February 1923 Western Canner and Packer said that 600,000 cases expected to be packed in 1923, plant should be in operation from March to November.
Los Gatos 1907-1930 Santa Cruz Avenue at Highway 9
Salem 1921-1956 Front Street "See Salem canning history":http://www.salemhistory.net/commerce/canneries.htm Construction described in "1921 Canning Age":http://books.google.com/books?id=va3mAAAAMAAJ
San Francisco 1918 112 Market Street From Julius Landsberger's draft card.
San Jose 1918, 1922, 1936, 1940 361 North Fourth Street Former Golden Gate Packing Co, purchased 1918.

Photos

Hunt Brothers Cannery, Los Gatos Museums of Los Gatos

Hunts Cannery, Los Gatos, 1930

Hunts cannery loading dock

Hunts Cannery, Los Gatos, 1930

Details

Tomatoes.

Hayward packed cherries, peaches, apricots, eventually tomatoes.

1918 sites: San Jose, Los Gatos, Exeter, Salem, Hayward.

Major canner. Started in Santa Rosa, but moved to Hayward quickly.

1921 officers: President: Julius Landberg, Secretary Clarence Cook, General Manager William Fay.

Bought by Norton Simon's Val Vita Food Products in 1943, changed name to Hunt Foods. Simon acquired Wesson in early 1950's and renamed the company Hunt-Wesson. Bought by Beatrice, private investment group, then ConAgra in 1980's.

Los Gatos cannery sold in September 1942 to W. J. Gould of Los Gatos. Cannery was only being used as a warehouse by Hunts. Cannery was then sold to Seagrams distilling interests May 11, 1943 who had just bought Paul Masson properties. Cannery had not been in operation for ten years. 13,000 sq ft of 70Ksq ft were leased by Louis Devich hoping to can this year.

Los Gatos cannery machinery sold to Sunsweet in 1944. (At least fire prevention.)

Exeter cannery closed during 1921 according to November 1921 Canning Age 1922: 600,000 cases expected to be packed at Hayward, 60,000 of spinach when season opens in March. Plant will be active March-November. ( Western Canner and Packer Bee problems in 1922 1927 Season : apricots started July 5.

1928 season: apricots started June 27 at Greco, Di Fiore, Hunt, and Flickingers. Pratt-Low, Richmond Chase, Pacific Coast Canners, CalPak, Bisceglia, Barron-Gray, and Hunts/LG started several days ago. Hunts' production for 1928 was "582,000 pounds of apricots, 12,000 pounds of plums, 1.3 million pounds of pears, and 6 million pounds of peaches."

1930 season Start peaches July 26 - 4 carloads of Tuscan peaches arrived last week. Finish apricots August 1, begin canning mid-summer and philip peaches. Some pears packed. Manager was E. K. Sullivan.

  1. Biography of Joseph H. Hunt: History of the New California Its Resources and People, Lewis Publishing Company, 1905.
  2. Hunt Brothers Rumor: March 3, 1918 San Francisco Chronicle. "Hunt Bros Rumor Negotiations for the sale of a considerable block of the stock of Hunt Brothers Company to Julius A Landsberger are In progress. It Is understood that Landsberger will acquire the majority of the Joseph Hunt holdings. Hunt Brothers Company Is one of the oldest fruit canning establishments In the city with offices at 112 Market street. C H Bradt, one of the owners, said yeaterday that no radical change was contemplated In the management of the business but that the announcement of the Landsberger purchase probably would be made some time this week."
  3. City of Exeter Historic Photos.