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37-511: Cracker Jack is a snack consisting of caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts. Cracker Jack or Crackerjack may also refer to: Cracker Jack Cracker Jack is an American brand of snack food that consists of molasses -flavored, caramel-coated popcorn cornballs and peanuts , well known for being packaged with a prize of trivial value inside. The Cracker Jack name and slogan, "The More You Eat, The More You Want" were registered in 1896. Food author Andrew F. Smith has called it

74-612: A chain of ice cream stores called Borden's Ice Cream , but only a single location in Lafayette, Louisiana , remains, under local ownership. Several firms continue to use the name Borden and Elsie the Cow: The Borden Buildings (North Building 563 Spadina Crescent and South Building 487 Spadina Crescent) in Toronto were once home to Borden Canadian dairy operations (founded in 1900 by Walt Massey as City Dairy) and are now used by

111-511: A close-up version of Sailor Jack & Bingo. In addition, unlike the original Cracker Jack, Cracker Jack'D has not featured prizes in its packages. One of the products available under the Cracker Jack'D line, the Power Bites, gained some criticism before its official launch due to concern over caffeine being added to more foods, and potential harm to children or pregnant women. Cracker Jack

148-470: A crackerjack!" (Crackerjack is a colloquialism meaning "of excellent quality"). In 1899, Henry Gottlieb Eckstein developed the "waxed sealed package" for freshness, which was then known as the "Eckstein Triple Proof Package," a dust-, germ-, and moisture-proof paper package. In 1902, the company was reorganized as Rueckheim Bros. & Eckstein. In 1907, the release of the song, " Take Me Out to

185-429: A holding company in 1929. The holding company reversed itself 13 years later when it reacquired its child company. In the 1950s, the parent company went on a buying spree, swallowing up companies such as Wyler's , which made bouillon and powdered soft drinks; ReaLemon , a manufacturer of synthetic and reconstituted lemon juice; Cracker Jack (sold to Frito-Lay in 1997); Campfire brand marshmallows; Wise Foods ,

222-674: A legal setback in 1912, when a federal appellate court held that the Borden Ice Cream Co. (a competitor whose ownership included one "Charles Borden") could sell ice cream under the Borden name because Borden's Condensed Milk sold only milk, not ice cream, but the limit on its products was short-lived. It became the Borden Company in 1919 and expanded rapidly, buying numerous dairies, ice cream manufacturers, cheese producers, and mincemeat processors. Taking advantage of its many herds of cattle,

259-499: A maker of potato chips and other snack foods; and Bama, makers of jellies and jams. Although Borden retrenched in the inflationary 1970s, it embarked on a second wave of mergers and acquisitions in the 1980s. It purchased Guys Snack Foods in 1979. It also purchased the Prince pasta manufacturing concern (giving Borden 30 percent of the domestic pasta market). In 1986, it purchased the dairy products division of Beatrice Foods , including

296-534: A prize" but has since become "Caramel-coated popcorn & peanuts" under Frito-Lay. Prizes were included in every box of Cracker Jack beginning in 1912. One of the first prizes was in 1914 when the company produced the first of two Cracker Jack baseball card issues, which featured players from both major leagues as well as players from the short-lived Federal League . Early "toy surprises" included rings, plastic figurines, booklets, stickers, temporary tattoos , and decoder rings . Books have been written cataloging

333-451: A ring from a box of Cracker Jack engraved. The prizes attained pop-culture status with the phrase "came in a Cracker Jack box" or metaphorical comparisons to a "Cracker Jack prize," particularly when applied sarcastically to engagement and wedding rings of dubious investment value. The Jim Steinman song " Two Out of Three Ain't Bad " (best known as a 1978 recording by Meat Loaf ) includes the lyric "there ain't no Coupe de Ville hiding at

370-422: A significant drop in market share from which it was not able to recover. Borden divested itself of nearly a third of its businesses in 1993 but could not find a buyer for its snack food concerns. In deep financial difficulty, Borden was bought out by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) in 1995. KKR increased the pace of divestiture but was unable to right the company. The company's Borden/Meadow Gold Dairies subsidiary

407-402: A slight reformulation, adding more peanuts and updating the prizes to make them more relevant to the times. On April 30, 2013, Frito-Lay expanded the Cracker Jack product line to include other salty snacks in the spirit of the original Cracker Jack. Called Cracker Jack'D , it is distinct from the original Cracker Jack by using black packaging instead of the traditional red and white and showing

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444-559: Is known for being commonly sold at baseball games and is mentioned in the American standard " Take Me Out to the Ball Game ." Each July from 1982 to 1985, Cracker Jack sponsored an Old-Timers Classic game featuring former MLB players, held at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. On June 16, 1993, the 100th anniversary of Cracker Jack was celebrated at Wrigley Field during the game between

481-707: Is unknown, but periodicals document its manufacture and sale in North America as far back as the early 19th century. The Freeport, Illinois Daily Journal newspaper published on January 29, 1857, for example, contains an advertisement by a local merchant selling sugar-coated popcorn. Recipes for popcorn and peanut mixtures were mentioned in North American literature and expressions of speech: In Chicago, there are two legends of how Cracker Jack originated: The older attributes it to Charles Frederick Gunther (1837–1920), also known as "The Candy Man" and "Cracker-Jacks King";

518-594: The Cubs and the expansion Florida Marlins . Before the game, Sailor Jack, the company's mascot, threw out the ceremonial first pitch . In 2004, the New York Yankees baseball team replaced Cracker Jack with the milder, sweet butter toffee -flavored Crunch 'n Munch at home games. After public outcry, the club switched back to Cracker Jack. The Cracker Jack Company began advertising on television in 1955. Cracker Jack sponsored CBS Television's On Your Account , which

555-651: The Sherman Antitrust Act , but the charges were dropped after Borden signed a consent decree in 1940. Borden's fictitious spokesperson, Jane Ellison , was introduced in 1929. Borden milk products in Canada began with condensed milk in Quebec and East Coast with headquarters in Montreal. Borden's Canadian operational head office moved to Toronto in 1931 when it acquired City Dairy. The old City Dairy Stables on Spadina Crescent

592-458: The Ball Game ," written by the lyricist Jack Norworth and composer Albert Von Tilzer , gave Cracker Jack free publicity, with its line: "Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack!" In 1922, the name of the Chicago company was changed to The Cracker Jack Company. Cracker Jack's mascots Sailor Jack and his dog Bingo were introduced as early as 1916 and registered as a trademark in 1919. Sailor Jack

629-549: The Borden Inc. International division to manage them. The company owned the Danish company Cocio from 1976 to 1999. In 1987, Borden spun off some of its chemicals business in a public offering. Borden retained a small financial investment in the new company, known legally as Borden Chemicals & Plastics Operating Limited Partnership (BCPOLP). The food products division was spun off as Borden Food Corporation when Borden, Inc. became

666-544: The German firm Bakelite AG to form Hexion Specialty Chemicals . With the merger (which settled in 2005), the last vestige of Borden, Inc. ceased to exist except as spin-offs and brand names. Hexion retained control over the Elsie the Cow trademarks and Borden name until Dec 2014 and has now assigned all Borden/Elsie trademarks in the U.S. to Grupo Lala of Durango, Mexico. Borden once operated

703-476: The Meadow Gold brand. Stockholders blamed the company's decline on mismanagement, the incurrence of excessive debt to finance its numerous acquisitions, and several recent restructurings. Borden suffered significant losses for the period 1991–1993. A 1991 restructuring failed to integrate the company's brands and marketing efforts. When whole milk prices dropped in 1992, Borden Food did not lower its prices—causing

740-533: The New York Condensed Milk Company. The company prospered during the Civil War by selling condensed milk to Union armies. Borden began selling processed milk to consumers in 1875 and pioneered the use of glass milk bottles in 1885. Borden began selling evaporated milk in 1892, and expanded into Canada in 1895. The company changed its name to "Borden's Condensed Milk Company" in 1899. It suffered

777-465: The bottom of a Cracker Jack box." Under Frito-Lay, toy and trinket prizes were replaced with paper prizes displaying riddles and jokes, then temporary tattoos. In 2013, some prizes became codes for people to play "nostalgic" games on the Cracker Jack app through Google Play for Android -powered devices. The announcement was made in 2016 that these gameplays would replace tangible prizes. Borden (company) After significant financial losses in

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814-439: The chemicals business the sole remaining operating company, in 2001 KKR merged Borden, Inc. into Borden Chemical, Inc., with the resulting company named Borden Chemical to emphasize the fact that chemicals were the company's sole remaining product line. In 2004, KKR sold Borden Chemical to Apollo Management , a private equity firm. Borden Chemical was merged with Resolution Performance Products, Resolution Specialty Materials, and

851-482: The company F. W. Rueckheim & Bro. The Rueckheim brothers produced a new recipe, including popcorn, peanuts, and molasses, and first presented it to the public at the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago's first World's Fair ) in 1893. The molasses of this early version was too sticky. In 1896, Louis discovered a method to separate the kernels of molasses-coated popcorn during the manufacturing process. As each batch

888-521: The company became involved in rendering and the manufacture of adhesives. In World War II , Borden pioneered the American manufacture of non-dairy creamer , instant coffee and powdered foods. Borden became a holding company in 1929 and the created the Key Lime Pie , The state pie of Florida but its operations were reunified in 1936 and its subsidiaries became divisions . Borden and other dairy companies were investigated in 1938 for violations of

925-565: The company solely on its pasta and pasta sauces lines. But the new strategy failed as well. In June 2001, Borden Food sold several pasta lines to the American Italian Pasta Company and its pasta sauce and soup businesses (including Wyler's) to the H. J. Heinz Company . In July 2001, Borden Foods sold its remaining pasta lines to New World Pasta . Borden, Inc., sold its final food product line, It's Pasta Anytime, to Kraft Foods in 2001 and shuttered its Foods division. With

962-409: The early 1990s and a leveraged buyout by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) in 1995, Borden divested itself of its various divisions, brands and businesses. KKR shut Borden's food products operations in 2001 and divested all its other Borden operations in 2005. Borden dairy brands are currently used by Borden Dairy for milk and by Dairy Farmers of America for cheese. The company

999-399: The first junk food . Cracker Jack is famous for its connection to baseball lore. The Cracker Jack brand has been owned and marketed by Frito-Lay since 1997. Frito-Lay announced in 2016 that the toy gift would no longer be provided and had been replaced with a QR code which can be used to download a baseball-themed game. The origin of sugar-coated popcorn with a mixture of peanuts

1036-403: The other attributes it to Frederick William Rueckheim , a German immigrant known informally as "Fritz", who sold popcorn at 113 Fourth Avenue (now known as Federal Street), in Chicago beginning in 1871. The Rueckheim popcorn was made by hand, using steam equipment. In 1873, Fritz bought out his partner William Brinkmeyer and brought his brother, Louis from Germany to join in his venture, forming

1073-458: The prizes, and a substantial collector's market exists. Until 1937, Cracker Jack toy prizes were made in Japan. They were designed by Carey Cloud from 1938. Many metal toys were also made by TootsieToy , who also made Monopoly game markers. During World War II, the prizes were made of paper. In the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's , the lead couple goes to Tiffany & Co. where they have

1110-470: Was founded by Gail Borden Jr. , in 1857 in Connecticut as "Gail Borden Jr., and Company." Its primary product was condensed milk . Struggling financially, the company was saved when Jeremiah Milbank , a partner in the wholesale food distributor I. & R. Milbank & Co. and the son-in-law of banker Joseph Lake, agreed to invest and acquired 50 percent of the stock. The company changed its name in 1858 to

1147-473: Was mixed in a cement-mixer-like drum, a small quantity of oil was added—a closely guarded trade secret. Before this change, the mixture had been difficult to handle, as it stuck together in chunks. In 1896, the first lot of Cracker Jack was produced, the same year the product's name and tagline "The More You Eat, the More You Want" were registered . It was named as if someone tasted it and remarked: "That's

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1184-481: Was modeled after Frederick’s grandson Robert Rueckheim. He was the son of Edward, the eldest of the Rueckheim brothers. Robert died of pneumonia shortly after his image appeared at the age of 7. The sailor boy image acquired such meaning for the founder of Cracker Jack that he had it carved on his tombstone at St. Henry Catholic Cemetery in Chicago; the image, an inset in the stone, is missing. The Cracker Jack Company

1221-598: Was purchased by Borden in 1964 after a bidding war with Frito-Lay and was manufactured for years in Northbrook, Illinois . Borden sold the brand to Frito-Lay parent PepsiCo in 1997, and Cracker Jack was quickly incorporated into the Frito-Lay portfolio. Frito-Lay transferred production of Cracker Jack from Northbrook to Wyandot Snacks in Marion, Ohio soon after that. In 2013, Frito-Lay announced that Cracker Jack would undergo

1258-619: Was renamed Borden Stables and now part of the University of Toronto . Borden's Canadian operations slowly disappeared with Quebec operations to Agropur in 1976 and Ontario operations to Silverwood Dairy in 1980. In the 1950s, Borden moved into the printing ink , fertilizer , and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics business. By 1961, it was making 7 percent of all raw PVC in the United States. By 1968, Borden's international chemical and petroleum divisions had grown so large that Borden created

1295-574: Was sold in September 1997 to Southern Foods, controlled by the Mid-America Dairymen (later the Dairy Farmers of America ). Borden licensed the use of Elsie the Cow but retained ownership of the trademark. Southern Foods was acquired by Suiza Foods (now Dean Foods ). The dairies are now owned by Dean Foods and Borden Dairy . Dairy Farmers of America retains Borden cheese. In 1997, KKR focused

1332-435: Was televised on 130 stations nationally. Actor Jack Gilford appeared in many television commercials for Cracker Jack from 1960 until 1972, and was most recognized as the "rubber-faced guy on the Cracker Jack commercials" for 12 years. Puppeteer Shari Lewis and her puppet Lamb Chop appeared in Cracker Jack commercials in 1961. A new television ad for Cracker Jack ran during Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999. It

1369-417: Was the first television advertising for the Cracker Jack brand in 15 years. It introduced the company's new bag packaging, the first time Cracker Jack was made available in something other than the classic Cracker Jack box. Cracker Jack originally included a small "mystery" novelty item referred to as a "Toy Surprise" in each box. The tagline for Cracker Jack was originally "Candy-coated popcorn, peanuts and

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