MasterFoods
Australian brand of condiments
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
MasterFoods is a brand of condiments manufactured by Mars Inc.[1][2][3][4][5] Originally produced by Australian Henry Lewis & Company since 1945,[6] the brand name "Masterfoods" was acquired by Mars in 1967.[7]
 | |
| Product type | Condiments |
|---|---|
| Owner | Mars Inc. (1967–present) |
| Country | Australia |
| Introduced | 1945 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | Henry Lewis |
| Website | masterfoods.com.au |
History
MasterFoods was created by Henry Lewis in Australia in 1945. Originally launched as "Henry Lewis & Company" in 1926,[6] they began by importing specialty international foods and spices such as paprika, bay leaves and canned asparagus.[8] The business was renamed to "Henry Lewis & Sons"[6] and later Masterfoods (also seen as MASTERFOODS, MasterFoods and Master Foods)[6][9] on 20 July 1945 and began manufacturing their own products in the 1950s.[8]
Henry Lewis passed the business onto his sons John (born 1920), Victor (born 1923) and David (born 1929) all of whom worked in the business.[6] John as chairman and managing director, Victor as production director and David as research director.[10] Victor studied food technology in the United States of America, returning in 1949, becoming one of Australia's first food technologists.[6] The company began manufacturing foods in the 1950s, with the first product being bread and butter cucumbers. During WWII when importation was restricted the company acted as a distributor for Australian and New Zealand brands.[6]
The brand was sold to Mars Inc. in 1967, and Mars Food Australia was created as a part of the purchase.[1] At the time of sale, Masterfoods had over 150 products and were distributing to 40 countries, 25 percent of turnover was imported goods.[9]
