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{{Short description|Company specializing in pickled products}}
#REDIRECT [[Pinnacle Foods]]▼
{{Infobox company
| name = Vlasic Pickles
| logo = Vlasic logo.png
| trading_name = <!-- d/b/a/, doing business as - if different from legal name above -->
| native_name = <!-- Company's name in home country language -->
| native_name_lang = <!-- Use ISO 639-2 code, e.g. "fr" for French. If there is more than one native name, in different languages, enter those names using {{tl|lang}}, instead. -->
| romanized =
| former type =
| type =
| traded_as =
| industry =
| genre = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies -->
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = 1942
| founder = Frank Vlasic
| defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| location_city = [[Parsippany, New Jersey]] (Produced in Imlay City, Michigan)
| location_country = [[United States]]
| locations = <!-- Number of locations, stores, offices, etc. -->
| area_served =
| key_people =
| products = [[Pickled cucumber]]s
* [[Relish]]
| production =
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| aum = <!-- Only used with financial services companies -->
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| owner = [[Conagra Brands]]<ref>{{cite web |first=Ivan |last=Hindshaw |title=Robert Gamgort, CEO, Pinnacle Foods |url=http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/robert-gamgort-ceo-pinnacle-foods.aspx |publisher=[[Bain & Company]] |date=June 1, 2011 |access-date=February 21, 2015}}</ref>
| num_employees =
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| homepage = {{url|vlasic.com}}
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}}
[[File:VlasicPickles.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Vlasic Pickles]]
'''Vlasic''' is an American brand of [[pickled cucumber|pickles]] that is currently owned by [[Conagra Brands]]. Since its introduction in 1942, it has become one of the most popular pickle brands in the United States.
==History==
Franjo "Frank" Vlašić, a [[Bosnian Croats|Bosnian Croat]], emigrated from [[Livno]], [[Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia and Herzegovina]], at the time part of [[Austria-Hungary]], to [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]] in 1912 and started a small [[creamery]] with savings from his factory job. His son Joseph acquired a [[milk route]] in 1922, which eventually grew into the state's largest dairy distributor.<ref name="Uyterhoeven">Uyterhoeven, Hugo E. R. (1973). ''Strategy and organization: Text and cases in general management.'' R. D. Irwin, {{ISBN|9780256014488}}</ref> In 1937, Vlasic was approached to distribute a home-style pickle, later marketing their fresh-packed pickle in glass jars.<ref>[http://www.vlasic.com Vlasic Pickle website]</ref> Its first plant was built in [[Imlay City, Michigan]]. The business rapidly expanded in the [[Post–World War II economic expansion|post-war years]], corresponding with growth in per capita pickle consumption.<ref>[http://www.pinnaclefoodscorp.com/public/brands/vlasic.htm Vlasic - Brand History] Pinnacle Food Group LLC. Retrieved on 9-06-10.</ref>
A child-bearing [[stork]] was introduced as a mascot in 1974, merging the stork baby [[mythology]] with the notion that pregnant women have an above average appetite for pickles. Vlasic marketed themselves as "the pickle pregnant women crave...after all, who's a better pickle expert?" The modern Vlasic Stork speaks in a style reminiscent of [[Groucho Marx]] and holds a pickle like a cigar. The original voice was [[Ron Masak]], since replaced by [[Doug Preis]].
Vlasic Pickles was sold to [[Campbell Soup Company]] in 1978.<ref>[https://www.proquest.com/docview/134342926 Vlasic's Holders Clear Concern's Acquisition By Campbell Soup Co.]</ref> It was spun off to ''Vlasic Foods International'' on March 30, 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/business/media/29adnewsletter1.html?pagewanted=all|title=Pink or Blue? These Bundles of Joy Are Always Green|last=Elliott|first=Stuart|date=May 30, 2007|work=New York Times|access-date=2009-02-22}}</ref><ref name=bkrpc>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ektPAAAAIBAJ&pg=6524%2C4371089 |work=Toledo Blade |___location=(Ohio) |agency=Associated press |title=Bankruptcy filed by Vlasic; pickle, sauce units sold |date=January 30, 2001 |page=B9}}</ref>
On April 13, 1999, the company introduced the Vlasic Hamburger Stackers, made from naturally grown but specially cultivated cucumbers {{convert|16|in|cm|spell=in}} long and over {{convert|3|in|cm|spell=in}} in diameter, which enabled a single pickle chip to cover an entire hamburger.<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/04-13-1999/0000907924 Vlasic Unveils World's Largest Pickle<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In early 2001, the company voluntarily filed for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] [[bankruptcy]] and its pickle and barbecue sauce units were initially planned to be sold to [[Heinz|H. J. Heinz]].<ref name=bkrpc/> By April of 2001, the company had backed out of the deal and was looking into other offers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2001-04-05 |title=USA: Vlasic - ends sale to Heinz - COMMENT |url=https://www.just-food.com/news/usa-vlasic-ends-sale-to-heinz-comment/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=Just Food |language=en-US}}</ref>
Vlasic is owned by [[Pinnacle Foods]], a subsidiary of [[Conagra Brands]], since its name change in 2001.<ref>[http://www.pinnaclefoodscorp.com/webportals/ Pinnacle Foods official site]</ref> The Vlasic Stork was shown in "Icons", a [[MasterCard]] commercial during [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] in 2005 where he and many other famous advertising icons from food and cleaning equipment are shown having dinner together.<ref>[http://www.priceless.com/us/personal/en/pricelesstv/index.html MasterCard website]</ref>
On April 10, 2019 at the [[Conagra Brands]] Investor Day event, Tom McGough, Conagra Co-Chief Operating Officer, announced that Vlasic Pickle Chips, made from vacuum-fried pickles, were in development.<ref>[https://www.buypicklechips.com/pickle-chip-news Pickle Chip News]</ref>
The [[cucumbers]] used in Vlasic pickles are grown in Michigan, including the cities of [[Mount Pleasant, Michigan|Mount Pleasant]] and [[Kalamazoo, Michigan|Kalamazoo]], and processed at its plant in Imlay City, Michigan.<ref>[http://www.abc12.com/story/22042800/made-in-michigan-vlasic Made in Michigan: Vlasic] WJRT-TV, April 24, 2013{{deadlink|date=November 2023}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[List of brand name condiments]]
* [[Robert J. Vlasic]]
* {{portal-inline|Food}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.vlasic.com Vlasic Pickle website]
*[https://www.fastcompany.com/47593/wal-mart-you-dont-know "The Wal-Mart You Don't Know", Charles Fishman, ''Fast Company'', Dec 1, 2003]
[[Category:Pinnacle Foods brands]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1942]]
[[Category:Pickles]]
[[Category:Brand name condiments]]
[[Category:Fictional storks]]
[[Category:Bird mascots]]
[[Category:Cartoon mascots]]
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