1880s

In the early 1800s America had her own native spices and herbs, and merchants from Salem Massachusetts still traded for exotic spices from the far east.

Mid-1800s refrigeration in ships lessened the status and prices of the spice trade, but demand and competition was still keen.

1869: a spice mill was added to Hulman & Company’s [Clabber Girl] grocery store wholesale business.

1873: Tone Brothers, Inc. founded and still located in Des Moines, Iowa, today is perhaps second in volume to McCormick, and distributes Durkee Spices, Fleischmann’s Yeast, and Spice Islands products. Tone is also the leading supplier of spices to national warehouse club chains.[1]

1889: Willoughby M. McCormick founded McCormick Spices in Baltimore, working out of one room and a cellar. The initial products were sold door-to-door and included root beer, flavoring extracts, fruit syrups and juices. Seven years later, McCormick bought the F.G. Emmett Spice Company and entered the spice industry….

“Make the Best – Someone Will Buy It.” [2]

Late-1900s: Fewer home cooks drastically decreased the volume of the spice market.