Progresso

Progresso emerged from the merging of two prominent Italian importing companies in New Orleans, Louisiana.{{cite web |url=http://souperyou.imaginepub.com/progresso-soup-story.aspx |title=Read the story of Progresso Soup, Broth and Foods - It's all about quality ingredients |publisher=Souperyou.imaginepub.com |access-date=2012-09-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816063135/http://souperyou.imaginepub.com/progresso-soup-story.aspx |archive-date=2012-08-16 |url-status=dead }} In 1925, Vincent Taormina, who had traveled east to start a tomato importing business, and Giuseppe Uddo merged their companies. Vincent's family owned the "Taormina Brothers Grocery" of New Orleans, Louisiana. Frank had emigrated from Italy and joined his cousin Vincent in the venture.

They were so successful selling tomatoes that they sold more orders than they could fill and needed funds to set up the infrastructure for a larger canning operation. Giuseppe Uddo, who had already established a national canning operation, brought the Taorminas on board to form a new merged company. The resultant company was "The Uddo and Taormina Corporation" and they created the Progresso label,Charles W. Titone, Grandson Frank R. Taormina specializing in canned Italian food products, which became mostly soup, olive oil, tomatoes, spaghetti, ravioli and beans, sold since 1949.

In 1979, Ogden Corporation bought Progresso for $35 million.{{cite news |title=Ogden Unit to Buy Progresso Foods |work=The New York Times |date=February 27, 1979}} In 1986 Ogden Foods was sold to Pet, Inc. for $320 million.{{cite news |title=Ogden's food unit was sold for $320 million. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-21-fi-6386-story.html |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=October 21, 1986}} In 1995, Pet, Inc. was acquired by the Pillsbury Company, then a subsidiary of Grand Metropolitan.{{cite news |title=Grandmet Buys Pet Inc. for $2.6 Billion |work=The Buffalo News |date=January 9, 1995}} General Mills acquired Pillsbury in 2001.{{cite web |title=Diageo to Confirm Pillsbury Deal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/jul/17/7 |website=The Guardian |date=17 July 2000 |access-date=11 December 2019}}

File:Progresso_steak_&_roasted_russet_potatoes_(ready_to_heat_MACRO).jpg

For the last 20 years, Progresso soup has been seen as an upmarket alternative to market leader Campbell and as a meal replacement. Originally, Progresso cans were both larger than Campbell's cans and came "ready-to-heat" rather than being condensed, and these characteristics helped them attain popularity before Campbell's released the competitive and similar "Chunky" line of products.

Campbell's Soup Company has since produced several lines of ready-to-eat soups in reaction to Progresso's innovations. {{Citation needed|date=October 2016}}

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• {{Official website|https://www.progresso.com/}}

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Category:General Mills brands

Category:Brand name soups

Category:American companies established in 1925

Category:Food and drink companies established in 1925

Category:1925 establishments in Louisiana

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