Tien Chu
Chinese food company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tien Chu Ve-Tsin Chemical Limited (Chinese: 天厨味精; pinyin: Tiānchú Wèijīng), also transliterated as Tian Chu or Tianchu,[1] is a Chinese manufacturer of honey by-products and food chemicals and additives including monosodium glutamate (MSG).[1]
.jpg)
History
The company was founded in Shanghai in 1921 by Chinese chemist and industrialist Wu Yunchu.[1] By 1923, through Wu Yunchu's research and experimentation, the company became a primary manufacturer of monosodium glutamate (MSG).[2][3][4][5]
In 1937, a factory was established in Hong Kong in To Kwa Wan, Kowloon, and was Hong Kong's sole MSG manufacturer.[1]
In 1981, Shanghai Industrial Holdings was established in Hong Kong, and Tien Chu became a subsidiary of the group.[5] Tien Chu was awarded a gold prize at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago.[1]
In 1999 the factory in To Kwa Wan was shut down and demolished, and was replaced by residential buildings.[6]
The "Tianchu" brand, which originated from monosodium glutamate, eventually grew to be a comprehensive brand for five food categories: condiments, organic foods, health foods, ready-to-eat foods, and snack foods.[1] Its products are sold in over 40 countries.[1]
In the 21st century, the Hong Kong-based Tianchu company developed into a diversified conglomerate comprising real estate, investment, and food manufacturing.[1] It also greatly expanded into the mainland China market.[1] In 2003, it established Hangzhou Tianchu Miyuan Health Products in a joint venture with Hangzhou Miyuan Health Products.[1]