Muscogee County GaArchives Photo Place.....Sunshine Biscuits  
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Christine Thacker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008100 April 25, 2007, 11:14 am

Source:             Special Sesquicentennial Supplement II Ledger-Enquirer
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http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee/photos/sunshine12669gph.jpg
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   The Sunshine Biscuits bakery located on Victory Drive is beginning its 26th 
year of operation in Columbus, Georgia. It is a pleasure for Sunshine to be in 
this progressive community that has such a distinguished heritage . . . a 
community of cordial citizens who reflect the customs of the friendly South.
  Sunshine was founded by two Kansas City businessmen, brothers J. L.and J. S. 
Loose in Kansas City, Missouri. The Loose brothers teamed up with John A. 
Wiles, in 1902, to form the Loose-Wiles Biscuits Company. The brothers had an 
idea and an ideal - to found a baking company that would be distinguished for 
top quality cookies and crackers baked in a pleasant glistening clean bakery 
filled with sunshine. Most bake shops in those days were confined to basement 
premises. Sunshine brought baking out of the basements and the brand name 
adopted for their cookies and crackers seemed only natural - Sunshine Biscuits.
  This unique business proposition proved immediately successful with rapid 
growth throughout the Midwest. Then a key decision was made to move eastward. 
and a Boston bakery was opened in 1908.
  Demand for Sunshine Biscuits products grew rapidly, a major reason being an 
active sampling campaign conducted through advertising in leading magazines of 
the day offering consumers an opportunity to obtain sample packets of Sunshine 
cookies and crackers. During those early years the Sunshine name went onto a 
number of products which were to become the forerunners of the popular sellers 
of today - 
Tak-homa Soda Biscuits, Clover Leaf Sugar Wafers, Butter Thins. and of course, 
Hydrox Cookies the original creme filled chocolate sandwich cookie.
  So successful was this sampling, that more and more enlightened grocers took 
on Sunshine products and the Sunshine Biscuits rack became an increasingly 
familiar sight in grocery stores.
  In only six short years after moving East and only ten years after its 
founding. Loose Wiles made the move that propelled it into the ranks of the 
major manufacturers of food products. They built the famous Thousand Window 
Bakery in 1912 in Long Island City, just across the river from New York City. 
This bakery stood as the largest in the world until the mid 1950's. and the 
illuminated Sunshine Biscuits sign atop the building grew to be one of the most 
well known of New York City landmarks.
  As Sunshine's reputation for top quality and flavor grew throughout the 
1920's and 1930's, other now familiar brand names made their debut
     Krispy Crackers, HiHo's, and Cheez-its made from cheese processed in
Sunshine's own dairy. 
    In the 1940's Sunshine was called on to contribute to our nation's war 
effort, and responded by supplying our armed forces with combat rations while 
maintaining morale on the homefront  by also filling grocers' shelves with most 
of its popular varieties. Sunshine was rewarded for its efforts by earning its 
full measure of "E" awards. 
  Following the war, came years of rapid growth. The stockholders voted in 1946 
to officially change the corporate name to Sunshine Biscuits, Inc. In 1949, 
Sunshine expanded its baking operations to the West coast with the opening of 
the Oakland. California bakery soon to be folIowed  in 1953 by the modern 
facility in Columbus. Georgia. Under the dynamic leadership of its president. 
Mr. Hanford Main, Sunshine became an aggressive million dollar advertiser in 
the 1950's and entered into the exclusive "Fortune 500" group of companies 
being recognized as one of the most respected "blue chip" stocks on the New 
York Stock Exchange.
  By 1960, expansion of the ever growing Northeastern market and new baking 
technology combined to make obsolete the famous Long Island City thousand 
Window Bakery. In its place. the giant Sayreville, New Jersey bakery was 
opened, a facility covering over twenty acres, in order to house modern band 
obens that stretch the length of two football fields.
  In 1966, Sunshine Biscuits became a member of the diversifying American 
Tobacco Company (now American Brands. Inc.) marking another major step in its 
continued development.
  Today, armed with the rich heritage of the first 75 years, Sunshine 
approaches the future with the same enthusiasm and vision of its forebears. Our 
thanks to the people of Columbus and the employees of Sunshine for playing such 
an important role in this heritage and helping to make Sunshine Biscuits in 
Columbus what it is today.
 
.
  
Special Sesquicentennial Supplement II
Ledger- Enquirer, Sunday, April 23, 1978. S-32

    

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