History

Leadership and innovation since 1869
Welch's had its beginnings in 1869 when Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch successfully processed the juice of unfermented Concord grapes. Today, fruit juice processors continue to use the same principles of pasteurization that Dr. Welch pioneered in his Vineland, New Jersey kitchen.

    

Throughout our history, Welch's has continued to lead and innovate in juice and fruit based manufacturing with new products, new flavors, new processes and packaging,
both in the United States and around the world.

Want more? Take a detailed journey through Welch's history

Product Development

It's no accident that Welch's develops new products at a rate far above industry average: it's a tradition.

• World's First Pasteurized Juice
  Thomas Welch's "unfermented" Concord grape juice marks the beginning of the processed fruit juice industry.

• Grapelade
  Our first jam product is an instant success in 1918.

• Grape Juice Concentrate
  Introduced in 1949, Grape Juice Concentrate helped pioneer the frozen juice industry.

• Red and White Grape Juices
  Broadened the juice market in 1972.

• Welchito Grape Drink
  Developed and launched for the Caribbean and Latin American market in 1978, with immediate and widespread success.

• Blended Juices
  We were first to market with multiple-fruit flavored juice blends in 1984, leading the way to new flavor experiences for consumers and new business opportunities for partners.

• Squeezable Plastic Jam and Jelly Containers
  A first for the jellies and jams industry, in 1985.

• Easy-grip Bottle
  Now an industry standard, this plastic hot-fill was introduced in 1994

• Shelf-Stable Concentrates
  Requiring no refrigeration, this 1996 packaging innovation put Welch's at the top of a new category - and we have been the industry leader since.

• Refrigerated Grape Juice Goes International
  New frontiers in freshness, launching in Puerto Rico in 1998.

• Plastic Can for Frozen Concentrates
  First to market in 1998 with a new plastic can for our line of frozen concentrates; the first innovation for the freezer case since the peel strip container, our Plastic Can revolutionized the business category.

• Lightstyle Juice Beverages
  Addressing a growing Japanese market for less sweet, lower calorie beverages, we developed and introduced Lightstyle 30% juice beverages to robust sales in 1999.

Marketing

Advertising and brand development have been part of the thinking at Welch's since the days of Thomas Welch. From the start, the company has seen the importance of marketing, and has been quick to recognize - and act on - new opportunities.

• World's Fair Debut
  Welch's Grape Juice was successfully introduced and marketed at the 1912 San Francisco World's Fair.

• Radio Advertising
  An early adopter of radio advertising, Welch's began an 11-year sponsorship of the Irene Rich Show in 1934.

• International Advertising
  Welch's ran our first international magazine ad campaign in Mexico and Puerto Rico in 1946.

• Television
  Welch's was an early sponsor of television's Howdy Doody Show, beginning to advertise in 1951.

• Jelly Glasses
  The first in our long-running - and very successful - series of jelly glasses that first appeared in 1953.

• "Spokeskid" Campaign
  The first advertising "spokeskid" campaign began in the U.S. in 1994 and quickly spread internationally.

Those are only some of our innovations. Want more? Take a detailed journey through Welch's history.