History

Watson Inc.

Our History – written by John J. Watson

James J Watson began Watson, Inc. under the name Watson Flour Co. in July 1939, in space rented at 30-30 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, New York. The company did not mill flour but our primary product was manufacturing donut mixes which the industry then referred to as “donut flours”. At about this time, the attack on Pearl Harbor caused our country to enter World War II and the government established the OPA, the Office of Price Administration. In addition to freezing selling prices of all manufactured products, the OPA started rationing gasoline, etc. Most important for the very young Watson Flour Co., sugar & shortening, major ingredients in donut flours were rationed. The rationed amount of these two ingredients was established as a percentage of the purchased amount in the year 1939. Needless to say our allocation was so small and with selling prices frozen, as of 1939, Watson Flour Co. had to make other products, such as cake and muffin mixes as well as bread improvers.

Robert Watson joined his father, James in the business in 1939. Robert, like his father had baking experience and was able to contribute to the formulation of many products. Unfortunately, as the war continued and more soldiers were needed, Robert was drafted into the army, serving in the European theater. James Watson struggled to keep his young business going.

In 1946, the war being over, James & his son Robert decided they needed to build a factory of their own to better serve their needs. They chose a site in Woodside, Long Island and built a factory of 13, 800 square feet. John J. Watson, joined his father & brother in the business in 1951. Then in 1952, the government called John Watson to serve in the Korean War until September 1954. Following this date, he rejoined the company.

During the next few years, Watson Flour acquired Flour Enrichment Products Co from Roy Dodson. This gave Watson Flour Co. a focus on nutritional products. At about the same time Watson Flour Co. began, with the cooperation of the Dow Chemical Co, to develop the first water soluble edible packaging film for packaging bakery additives, and vitamins and minerals premixes. Chas. Pfizer Co. saw this latter concept in 1958 and asked Watson Flour Co. to make these products for them. In 1963, when Pfizer made the decision to turn their attention in other directions, Watson Flour Co. was able to buy this division from them and thus obtain a substantial position in nutritional additives for the food industry. In 1964, because Dow no longer made the edible film, a manufacturing facility was purchased in Rockville, Ct. for this purpose.

In 1982 Watson purchased the enrichment business of Stauffer Chemical Co. which they had previously purchased from Merck & Co. Sterwin Chemical (Sterwin Winthrop Drug Co) and Nopa Laboratories (a small pharmaceutical firm in Pana Illinois) was also purchased in 1982. In 1983 the third generation of the Watson family joined the company in the person of James Thomas Watson.

In 1986, Watson Foods Co. closed down its Woodside plant and relocated to a seven acre site in West Haven, Ct. where it now has its main manufacturing facility, with manufacturing facilities totaling 85,000 square feet and a 50,000 square foot warehouse facility. Pursuing its nutritional plan further in 1992, Watson purchased, Dufar’s nutritional premixe division for the food industry and for US AID emergency relief programs. Watson Foods Co. moved its Illinois production facility from Pana to Taylorville, Il to a 66,000 square foot building. In 1992 Watson Foods Co. closed its, Rockville film manufacturing plant and moved it into the West Haven facility.

Today, the Company is run by the third generation: James, John Gavin, Mary, Moira and Kenneth Watson with 220,000 square feet of buildings and over 250 employees. To reflect our diversified product line we have changed our name to Watson, Inc.