In 1869, Charles Pillsbury went to work for his Uncle John. John Pillsbury had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat after an 1853 fire destroyed his hardware store and all its inventory. His quick recovery so impressed his peers that he was offered the presidency of Farmers & Mechanics Bank. He went on to become a prosperous banker with diverse business interests, including land, railroads, timber, and a sawmill. By 1869, he was ready to expand again, this time into milling floor. He called on his nephew to join him. Charles and his father, George, purchased a one-third interest in a failing Minnesota flour mill. Charles Pillsbury installed a new purifier in the broken-down mill and amazingly made a $6,000 profit in the first year. He used the profits to start his own business, C. A. Pillsbury and Company, in 1872.

During the 1920s and 1930s, the company expanded its line of products to include pancake mixes, cereal, and bakery items. But it is the giggling advertising icon Poppin Fresh, the Pillsbury Doughboy, that may be most responsible for making the name a household word. He was created in 1965, and by 1968, more than 87 percent of Americans were familiar with the character. He even has his own Web page at www.doughboy.com.

According to Pillsbury, Poppin Fresh usually ranks number 1 on the list of America's most popular food product characters, beating out such competition as the jolly Green Giant. The Green Giant is Poppin Fresh's adopted brother, by the way. Pillsbury bought Green Giant in 1979.

Poppin Fresh image Copyright © 1997 The Pillsbury Company