Hunt Brothers Packing Company
| Business |
Cannery |
|---|
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, 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.
- ↑ Biography of Joseph H. Hunt: History of the New California Its Resources and People, Lewis Publishing Company, 1905.
- ↑ 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."
- ↑ City of Exeter Historic Photos.