Celebrating 250 Years of Business: 35 Iconic Brands that Helped Build America

America’s oldest businesses have survived world wars, natural disasters, and economic upheavals—not by chasing trends, but by mastering the art of serving generations of Americans, whether for everyday or extraordinary needs.

Across industries and eras, their resilience is rooted in some of the same enduring fundamentals that’s fueled their success to this day. 

Brands that were founded in the nation’s earliest days began by identifying unmet consumer needs. These brands’ offerings are simple, yet they don’t skimp on quality. They’ve built trust with their customers over generations, always innovating and adapting, and often cultivating prominent and loyal followers.

During America’s 250th anniversary year, CO— spotlights iconic brands that were founded alongside America itself. From fine fragrances to flour, pencils to bourbon, these companies helped to make history by building the country from the ground up.

Caswell Massey

Founded: 1752
Category: Personal Care/Fragrance

Scottish-born Doctor William Hunter founded Caswell Massey as a small apothecary in Newport, Rhode Island, after immigrating to America at age 18. He’s credited with making the first American fragrance, still sold as “Number Six.” The luxury fragrance and soap brand, which prides itself on using high-quality ingredients, has counted presidents and celebrities among its customers. When in Newport in 1781, soon-to-be first president George Washington bought a bottle of Number Six. Other patrons have included Katharine Hepburn, Mick Jagger, and Greta Garbo. In recent years, to modernize the brand and attract younger customers, executives have leaned into partnerships, including one with The New York Botanical Garden for collections of bar soaps, lotions, and fragrances. The brand is also focusing on e-commerce and selling through select partner retailers rather than maintaining its own brick-and-mortar stores.

The Hartford Courant

Founded: 1764
Sector: Media/Publishing

Recognized as the country’s oldest continuously published newspaper and Connecticut’s largest daily, The Hartford Courant published its first issue on October 29, 1764, as a one-page edition called The Connecticut Courant. Early coverage featured news outside Hartford, including lost livestock, liquor auctions, and mounting discontent about British rule. Mark Twain occasionally wrote for the paper, and George Washington took out an ad to rent land at Mount Vernon. The weekly became a daily in 1837. It successfully weathered interruptions, including the British Stamp Act and a severe paper shortage that its publisher addressed by building his own paper mill. In recent years, like many newspapers, it’s seen declining revenue from print and advertising as most readers consume news online. However, now owned by Alden Global Capital following its 2021 acquisition of Tribune Publishing, The Hartford Courant continues to operate while nearly half of Connecticut’s newspapers have shuttered since 2004.

Baker’s Chocolate

Founded: 1765
Category: Food/Chocolate

A Kraft Heinz brand since 1995, Baker’s Chocolate was founded as Hannon’s Best Chocolate by Irish immigrant and unemployed chocolate maker John Hannon and general store owner Dr. James Baker in the 1760s, at a time when chocolate-making in America was fairly new. Baker provided the financial backing, while Hannon ground and made chocolate—mostly “drinking chocolate”—in a grist and saw mill on the Neponset River outside Boston. Baker took over after Hannon’s death, renaming the company. His heirs shifted the business to producing baking chocolate, transforming the brand into a household name for home bakers seeking premium ingredients.

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Founded: 1768
Category: Education/Reference Publishing

A “society of gentlemen in Scotland” published the first edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica, establishing a brand known for authoritative definitions and explanations. From the 1950s through the 1970s, salespeople went door to door, persuading American families to invest in full multi-volume sets. As physical encyclopedias declined with the rise of the internet, Britannica, as it’s now simply called, successfully transitioned to digital publishing. Today, the brand operates global editorial offices and continues to innovate with educational platforms, multimedia products, and efforts to combat misinformation, including via the expanded use of AI.

AMES (The AMES Companies, Inc.)

Founded: 1774
Category: Tools/Home & Garden

The Orlando, Florida–headquartered AMES Companies, Inc. prides itself on making the tools that helped build America. The home and building products company’s shovels built Revolutionary War ramparts, installed the Statue of Liberty, and carved Mount Rushmore, according to company history. By the late 19th century, AMES accounted for around 60% of the world’s shovels, manufacturing 5,000 per day. Today, its customers include homeowners and professionals involved in new construction, remodeling, and maintenance. The $363.6 million business spans home organization, lawn and garden tools, outdoor living, and cleaning tools, with leading brands including ClosetMaid, True Temper, and Southern Patio. 

BNY

Founded: 1784
Category: Finance/Banking

Founding Father Alexander Hamilton helped establish the Bank of New York in 1784, making it the oldest continuously operating bank in the United States. Along with a group of prominent investors, Hamilton sought to help New York recover after the Revolutionary War devastated housing and left the nation burdened with debt. Shortly after becoming Treasury Secretary, Hamilton negotiated an emergency loan from the bank to help the city meet its immediate financial obligations. Today, BNY is a global financial services firm serving more than 90% of the Fortune 100 and nearly all of the world’s top banks, overseeing $59.3 trillion in assets under custody or administration and $2.2 trillion in assets under management.

King Arthur Baking Company

Founded: 1790
Category: Baking/Flour

Flour is used in everything from apple pie to the chocolate chip cookie, and King Arthur Baking Company has been producing it since 1790, when flour merchant Henry Wood launched the business. Originally Henry Wood & Company, the Boston firm adopted the name King Arthur Flour in 1896, inspired by the popular opera King Arthur, which was playing in the city at the time. By 1968, King Arthur had become New England’s largest bakery supply distributor, selling ingredients used by professional bakers, from pie fillings to flavorings. A decade later, the company returned to its roots, focusing on flour for home and professional bakers. Since then, the brand has added an onsite bakery and school—the King Arthur Flour Bakery and Baking Education Center—at its Norwich, Vermont campus. In 1996, owners Frank and Brinna Sands sold the company to its employees, and King Arthur became a B Corp in 2007. Additional changes came in 2020, amid a pandemic baking boom, when the brand rebranded as King Arthur Baking Company and introduced a new minimalist wheat-crown logo.

Old Farmer’s Almanac

Founded: 1792
Category: Publishing/Reference

Schoolteacher and bookbinder Robert Thomas published the first edition of The Farmer’s Almanac in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president. While it was not the only almanac available at the time, circulation quickly grew as readers relied on its astronomical data and long-range weather predictions. Thomas aimed to create a publication that was “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor.” Now known as The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the weather and seasonal living guide is the oldest continuously published periodical in North America, with a circulation exceeding 2.5 million across the United States and Canada. In addition to its annual edition, the brand has expanded into digital platforms, calendars, children’s publications, and a range of gardening guides.

Cigna (formerly known as INA: Insurance Company of North America)

Founded: 1792
Category: Insurance/Health care

A group of prominent Philadelphians formed the Insurance Company of North America (INA) in 1792, first issuing marine policies that insured the hull and cargo of the ship America on a voyage from Philadelphia to Londonderry, North Ireland. Two years later, the company incorporated and issued its first life insurance policy, insuring a sea captain against death on a voyage, including capture by Barbary Coast pirates. Roughly a century later, INA merged with Connecticut General Life Insurance Company to form today’s The Cigna Group. Cigna now includes three brands: The Cigna Group, Cigna Healthcare, and Evernorth Health Services. The company supports approximately 19 million medical customers and an estimated 118 million pharmacy customers, and reported total revenues of $274 billion in 2024. 

Jim Beam

Founded: 1795
Category: Beverage/Liquor

Seven years after Jacob Beam led his family west from Maryland to Kentucky, drawn by the region’s fertile corn growing land, he distilled surplus corn using his father’s recipe to create a sweeter style of whiskey. Beam sold his first barrel of Old Jake Beam Sour Mash in 1795, and it quickly gained a following despite the presence of thousands of distillers in the state at the time. A railroad expansion in 1854 made it possible to ship the brand nationally. Prohibition halted production, but Jacob’s great-great-grandson Jim Beam rebuilt the business following repeal in 1933. The Jim Beam brand has continued to grow through innovation and high-profile fans, while generating additional revenue through bourbon tourism at its Kentucky distillery, which draws more than 100,000 visitors annually.

JPMorgan Chase

Founded: 1799
Category: Finance/Banking

JPMorgan Chase traces its roots to 1799 and New York City’s first water company. Its earliest predecessor, The Manhattan Company, was founded in part by Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr and was chartered by the New York State Legislature to supply “pure and wholesome” drinking water to the city’s growing population. A charter provision allowed surplus capital to be used for banking, and within months, the Bank of the Manhattan Company opened for business, becoming New York’s second commercial bank. Over more than two centuries, the institution expanded through mergers and acquisitions—including Bank One, Washington Mutual, and Bear Stearns—and now counts more than 1,200 institutions as predecessors. JPMorgan Chase operates roughly 5,000 branches across 48 states, making it the largest U.S. bank branch network.

DuPont

Founded: 1802
Category: Materials Science/Manufacturing

DuPont might be an iconic American company, but it was founded in 1802 by Frenchman E.I. du Pont, a chemist and expert gunpowder maker who had just fled the French Revolution.

Du Pont would go on to make an indelible imprint stateside, by becoming first the main supplier of gunpowder to the U.S. military and then the biggest source of munitions for the Civil War. 

A century later, DuPont had evolved into a science-based, innovation-led business. Its research laboratories marked the invention of breakthrough materials that would become mainstays in American industry and consumer life. Among the most influential were nylon, the first fully synthetic fiber, which found widespread use in apparel, and Teflon, the nonstick coating that redefined products ranging from nonstick cookware to aerospace components. 

After its 2015 merger with Dow Chemical and the 2019 spinoffs of Dow, the former materials‑science division, and Corteva, the former agriculture division, DuPont reshaped itself into a streamlined, technology‑based provider of materials and solutions serving sectors like electronics, water, healthcare, construction, automotive, and aerospace.

Colgate-Palmolive

Founded: 1806
Category: Personal Care Products

In 1806, William Colgate started a starch, soap, and candle business at 6 Dutch Street in New York City.

Colgate’s factory, optimally located near the East River piers for shipping goods, was part of a rapidly growing hub for small manufacturing.

The company’s industrial New York City roots proved foundational to the product that would eventually put Colgate on the map: toothpaste, which Colgate sold first in jars and then, starting in 1896, packaged in the collapsible tubes that are the industry standard today.

The turn of the 20th century ushered in a new era of growth for the business. Colgate merged with soap business Palmolive-Peet in 1928 and made its New York Stock Exchange debut two years later. Then, amid mid-century America’s consumer boom, the business became a brand powerhouse, rolling out now-iconic brands like Ajax cleanser.

Today, Colgate-Palmolive is a $28.38 billion global consumer packaged goods leader with a diversified brand portfolio that ranges from oral care disruptors like Tom’s of Maine to legacy brands such as Irish Spring to pet care brand Hill’s Pet Nutrition. 

Brooks Brothers

Founded: 1818
Category: Apparel/Retail

In 1818, Henry Sands Brooks opened H. & D.H. Brooks & Co. out of his childhood home on Catherine and Cherry Streets in New York City.

The men’s apparel store billed itself as “Makers and Merchants in One”—assuming control over the production and sale of its offerings in a bid to guarantee consumers high-quality goods—a “vertical” business model that’s a common retail operating structure today.

H. & D.H. Brooks & Co. quickly became synonyms with tony menswear. In 1883, after Brooks’ death, his four sons took over the business, which was eventually renamed Brooks Brothers.

Fashion innovations followed. Brooks Brothers helped bring ready-to-wear apparel to more Americans in the mid-19th century, making high-quality fashion more accessible. It also created the button-down collar, a signature feature of men’s dress shirts today. 

Over two centuries, Brooks Brothers has dressed 39 presidents—from Abraham Lincoln to John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan and more.

In 2025, Brooks Brothers became part of Catalyst Brands’ portfolio of retail banners including Aeropostale and Lucky Brand Jeans.

Today, Brooks Brothers products, ranging from men’s apparel to fragrances and home goods, are sold in its 500 freestanding stores and retail shop-in-shops.

Dixon Ticonderoga

Founded: 1822
Category: Manufacturing/Writing Instruments

Entrepreneur Joseph Dixon was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, made his first pencil prototypes at age 13, and later established a pencil-making business in New Jersey. Dixon’s company, the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company, acquired the American Graphite Company in 1873 to become the Dixon Ticonderoga pencil brand. During the Civil War, demand for a writing tool more practical than quills surged, and Dixon developed machinery capable of producing 132 pencils per minute. A few years after Dixon’s death in 1869, the company was reportedly producing more than 85,000 pencils annually. After more than two centuries in business, the Dixon Ticonderoga brand was acquired by FILA, an Italian manufacturer of pencils and art supplies, in 2004 but continues to operate as a U.S.‑based subsidiary headquartered in Florida.

Tiffany & Co.

Founded: 1837
Category: Jewelry/Retail

At age 25, Charles Lewis Tiffany opened Tiffany & Co., a small store selling stationery and “fancy goods” (a 19th‑century term for a shop selling non‑essential decorative items) at 259 Broadway in New York City. The boutique presaged what would later be etched into Americans’ consumer consciousness as the stuff that luxury gifting and jewelry dreams are made of.

The brand’s engagement rings in its classic Tiffany setting, which debuted in 1886, would mark countless “I do” moments for generations to come. Tiffany is considered the first jeweler to establish the diamond ring as a universal symbol of love.  

Other firsts followed. The luxury house’s Blue (gift) Box remains a powerful branding element and a legally protected brand asset. 

In 1940, Tiffany’s 272 Fifth Avenue flagship store opened its doors and was later immortalized in popular culture by Audrey Hepburn in the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

Today, Tiffany, owned by luxury giant LVMH since 2021, boasts 95 U.S. stores and 300 locations worldwide. In recent years, the retailer has invested in experiential initiatives and collaborations that lean into its brand heritage, such as a Blue Box Café at its flagship store and a collaboration with Netflix on Tiffany window displays inspired by the streaming platform’s movie “Frankenstein.”

John Deere

Founded: 1837
Category: Heavy Equipment/Agricultural Machinery

In the nearly two centuries since the American blacksmith/inventor (and namesake of the multibillion-dollar company) started out as a regional plow maker, John Deere has become the premier name in farming equipment. Its leaping deer trademark is one of the most recognizable trademarks in American industrial history, reflecting its ubiquitous presence on the tractors, mowers, and compact construction equipment that are the backbone of American agriculture. 

With plans to invest nearly $20 billion in the United States over the next decade, this unapologetically American company has invested $100 million in domestic factories in 2025 with facilities in upwards of 16 states.

Arm & Hammer

Founded: 1847
Category: Personal Care

In 1846, bicarbonate of soda was a go‑to home baking ingredient—a leavening agent consumers used to whip up popular favorites of the day like custard pies and gingerbread cookies.

Brothers‑in‑law Dr. Austin Church and John Dwight saw an opportunity: Working out of Dwight’s kitchen, they took an ingredient—today known as “baking soda”—that had previously been made at home with inconsistent results and began packing it by hand into paper bags for sale.

The following year, John Dwight & Company launched, transforming baking soda into a retail product that it would later sell under the Arm & Hammer brand.

Arm & Hammer built a consumer following for a versatility that extended beyond baking into laundry care, oral care, and cleaning products, all anchored by its signature, core ingredient.

The brand served as an early case study in media-driven marketing, placing ads in publications like Good Housekeeping while its recipe booklets became commonplace in American home kitchens.

Church & Dwight Co., Inc., the public company formed in 1896, still owns Arm & Hammer today. The company is now a $6.2 billion business and includes brands like WaterPik and First Response, with Arm & Hammer accounting for a hefty 40% of its U.S. consumer products sales. 

American Express

Founded: 1850
Category: Financial Services

A brand known for its financial services got its start as a very different business.

American Express began life in 1850 as a shipping company, building a reputation as a business consumers entrusted with transporting their valuable possessions during the United States’s “Go West, Young Man” era of Western expansion amid the California Gold Rush.

The company first entered financial services in the late 1800s with American Express Money Orders and Travelers Cheques. Then, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the company continued broadening its portfolio with a range of financial and travel offerings tailored to consumer needs.

The launch of its American Express Card in 1958 ushered in a new growth phase, leading to expansion in the B2B sector with Amex’s Corporate Card debut in 1966.

American Express further diversified its business model in 1991, expanding into travel with one of the financial service sector’s first multi-airline rewards programs. Membership Miles, which later became Membership Rewards, now offers Amex card members access to travel, dining, and entertainment experiences.

Today, Amex's platforms support approximately 141 million active credit and charge cards globally, and card members generated $72.2 billion in annual revenue.

Wells Fargo

Founded: 1852
Category: Finance/Banking

In 1852, Henry Wells and William G. Fargo founded Wells Fargo & Co. in New York City to serve the California Gold Rush as a bank and express company—a 19th‑century business model focused on the secure rapid movement of gold, money, mail, and personal valuables for individuals and businesses.

Using stagecoaches into the early 1900s, Wells Fargo became a leading stagecoach and express operator, while its offices safeguarded gold and cash and converted them into bank drafts—the forerunner of money orders.

During World War I, the federal government nationalized Wells Fargo for war supply mobilization, leaving the company as a single bank in San Francisco. 

The 1900s marked Wells Fargo’s pivot into a full-service banking institution when its retail branches began dotting the California market at a rapid pace. But it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that the business evolved into a diversified financial services firm through a series of major mergers, including its 2008 acquisition of Wachovia.

Today, Wells Fargo has approximately $2.1 trillion in assets and provides consumer and commercial banking, lending, and wealth management services to individuals, businesses, and institutions. The company ranks No. 33 on Fortune’s list of America’s largest corporations.

Levi Strauss & Co.

Founded: 1853
Category: Apparel

Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss ignited a casual apparel movement that transformed how U.S. consumers dressed. 

After emigrating to New York City in 1848 and learning the ropes in his older brothers’ dry goods business, Strauss moved west and set up shop in San Francisco, eventually renaming his company Levi Strauss & Co.

A letter Strauss received in 1872 would foreshadow Levi’s dominance in the now $30 billion North American denim market. Reno, Nevada, tailor Jacob Davis, writing to his fabric supplier Strauss, shared that metal rivets were the “secret” to reinforcing the denim workwear pants of the day. The two secured a patent for “waist overalls” with metal rivets. Levi’s dubs May 20, 1873, as the official birthday of what would later be called blue jeans. 

In 1890, Levi’s launched its line of riveted denim workpants, the genesis of the brand’s classic 501 jeans. It wasn’t until 1934 that Lady Levi’s, the first blue jeans for women, debuted. Levi’s took off in the United States and abroad, and as competitors produced knockoffs, the brand started weaving its trademarked red Levi's Tab into its clothing to signal quality. 

Today, Levi’s is among the world's largest apparel companies, with $6.3 billion in annual sales. 

Macy's

Founded: 1858
Category: Department Store

Macy’s fabled Herald Square New York City flagship store is forever immortalized in the Christmas classic “Miracle on 34th Street,” named after the address where the store still stands today.

But the retailer first debuted a mile away, when in 1858 Rowland Hussey (“R.H.”) Macy opened the R.H. Macy & Co. dry goods store on the corner of 6th Avenue and 14th Street in Manhattan. 

As the 20th century saw its move uptown and accelerated expansion, Macy’s was also making an indelible imprint on the business of retail. In a shopping era when haggling was commonplace, Macy’s introduced fixed prices to its merchandise mix. And taking a cue from Parisian merchants, the retailer started arranging clothing by size rather than style in 1934, a standard practice today that brought browsing convenience to consumers.

The Macy’s brand would become embedded into the cultural fabric of American life with traditions like its holiday window displays and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Today, the $21.5 billion Macy’s Inc., which owns Bloomingdale’s and beauty retailer Bluemercury, reflects the acquisitions of family-owned department stores such as Filene’s of Boston and Chicago’s Marshall Field’s.

With 450 stores, the Macy’s nameplate remains its biggest banner.  

Jack Daniel's Whiskey

Founded: 1866
Category: Beverage/Liquor

In the antebellum South, Jasper “Jack” Newton Daniel learned the art of whiskey making from both a preacher named Reverend Dan Call and an enslaved man named Nathan “Nearest” Green. 

After the Civil War, Daniel would hire Green as Jack Daniel Distillery’s head distiller. 

Then, in 1866, Daniel opened his now-famous Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, where his signature Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey is produced to this day and is a popular tourist attraction.

After a freak accident breaking his toe led to Daniel’s 1906 death, nephews Lem and Jess Motlow took over the business, steering Jack Daniel’s through Prohibition and the Great Depression, when the company weathered two shutdowns. 

After Prohibition, Jack Daniel’s entered a period of renewed growth marked by key cultural touchpoints—from Jackie Gleason introducing the whiskey to Frank Sinatra in 1947 to its deepening association with rock ’n’ roll, weaving the brand into America’s music scene and culture.

Today, about 150 million bottles of Jack Daniel’s Black Label are sold annually. In recent years, the Brown-Forman–owned brand has tapped product innovation to woo next-gen consumers with items like Tennessee Fire cinnamon-flavored whiskey and a collab with Coca-Coca on a Jack & Coke cocktail. 

Sherwin-Williams

Founded: 1866
Category: Paints and Coatings Manufacturer/Retailer

After six years learning the retail trade in dry goods and whole grocery businesses, 24-year-old Henry Sherwin found himself with a healthy $2,000 nest egg, equivalent to about $69,000 in today’s money. 

Yet he was restless and uninspired.   

So, Sherwin quit and invested his life savings in a partnership with Truman Dunham & Co. in the paint business, a fledgling industry but one that matched his “youthful strength and ambition,” he said years later.

That partnership dissolved, but Sherwin was hooked on paint. In 1866, he joined forces with E.P. Williams to form the Sherwin-Williams Co., a paint manufacturing and retail business, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Sherwin and Williams made innovation and quality control the pillars of their company philosophy. Between 1873 and 1884, Sherwin‑Williams introduced the first ready‑made paint, patented the industry’s first resealable paint can, and hired the first chemist employed by a U.S. paint manufacturer, while backing its products with a quality guarantee to differentiate from competitors. 

As the business expanded, its “Cover the Earth” trademark—depicting paint flowing over a globe—reflected its integrated model spanning manufacturing, distribution, and company‑owned stores, which continues to drive growth strategy.

Today, Sherwin-Williams operates more than 4,700 stores.

Tabasco

Founded: 1868
Category: Food/Condiments

Just as Q-Tips and Kleenex are shorthand for cotton swabs and tissues, Tabasco has become synonymous with hot pepper sauce, more recognizable to consumers than the product name itself.

But for much of the 19th century, spicy condiments were mostly unfamiliar to American consumers’ palates. 

Edmund McIlhenny set out to change that, planting his first commercial peppers in 1868 and in 1869 shipping 658 bottles for $1 each to Gulf Coast grocers, naming the product “Tabasco” for the Mexican pepper seeds used in the condiment. 

McIlhenny patented the sauce, and by the late 1870s, Tabasco was sold throughout the United States as well as Europe. 

Despite the brand’s major growth, the business has remained remarkably unchanged from its founding days.   

The business is still family owned and operated on Avery Island, Louisiana, which six generations of McIlhennys have called home. And the company is still producing the sauce in white oak barrels, where mashed-up pepper sits for three years before it’s blended with vinegar.

Tabasco now comes in nine flavors ranging from Cayenne Garlic Sauce to Salsa Picante and is sold in virtually every major U.S. supermarket and mass retail chain.

Pillsbury

Founded: 1869
Category: Cooking/Baked Goods

Founded by Charles Pillsbury as a flour‑milling business along Minneapolis’ Mississippi River, the company that popularized refrigerated dough and cake mixes helped bring convenience baking to mid-century American households. 

Pillsbury emerged as an early pioneer in consumer goods marketing and one of the original content-driven companies, building its brand equity via a recipe-led business model to drive sales of its signature crescents, biscuits, and cinnamon buns; its iconic mascot; and the bake-offs that started in 1949 at New York City’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

The Pillsbury Bake-Off tradition remains a marquee marketing vehicle that mirrors evolving food and culture trends, tying the brand to key snacking occasions like the Super Bowl. 

The chef-hat–clad Pillsbury Doughboy character, who debuted in 1965, proved pivotal to Pillsbury’s brand recognition among consumers. The Doughboy (or “Poppin’ Fresh”) remains a pop-culture force on TV, social media, and in-person, turning up in giant form at live events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

Today, the General Mills–owned brand is courting a new generation of consumers with a contemporary content strategy that taps recipes, videos, tutorials, and email newsletters while continuing to dominate the refrigerated dough category in grocery stores nationwide. 

ExxonMobil (descendant of Standard Oil)

Founded: 1870
Category: Oil/Gas

Over 140 years, ExxonMobil has transformed from a regional marketer of kerosene in the northeastern United States to one of the largest petroleum and petrochemical enterprises in the world, operating under the Exxon, Esso, and Mobil brands. With more than 12,000 Exxon‑ and Mobil‑branded gas stations across the United States, the company has played a seminal role in shaping the nation’s fuel industry.

ExxonMobil is one the largest direct descendants of Standard Oil, the fabled fuel company founded by John D. Rockefeller in 1870 that would later spin off into major names like Chevron. 

Standard Oil grew rapidly in the late 1800s through acquisitions and partnerships, including its 1879 purchase of Vacuum Oil, a pioneering lubricants company whose innovations would become core to Mobil’s legacy. 

In 1903, the Wright brothers used Standard fuel and Mobiloil (Vacuum) lubricants for their historic flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, an early marker of how the company was powering everything from early aviation to automobiles to the machinery that ran American industry.

Today, ExxonMobil remains a global leader in energy, fuels, lubricants, and petrochemicals.

Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)

Founded: 1876
Category: Beverages/Beer

In 1860, German soap manufacturer Eberhard Anheuser bought a declining brewery business in St. Louis, Missouri. His new enterprise connected with brewery supplier Adolphus Busch, who would go on to marry Anheuser’s daughter, Lily, and work for his father-in-law at E. Anheuser & Co.

The union was fortuitous: The business later became Anheuser-Busch, and the small local brewery rapidly gained national scale when it launched Budweiser, an American-style lager inspired by German beer. 

Budweiser was the brainchild of Busch, who’d set his sights on creating a brand that appealed to consumers nationwide at a time when beer was sold in the communities where it was brewed. Budweiser changed all that, as sales of the lighter-tasting lager, which debuted in 1876, exceeded expectations and became the brewery’s flagship brand.

Busch, who led the business after Anheuser’s death, brought marketing savvy and discipline to Budweiser that differentiated the brand from competitors. In the 1880s, he was an early pioneer of product giveaways and even turned the brand’s brewery into a tourist attraction. The business hit a big milestone in 1901, selling one million barrels of beer for the first time. 

Budweiser is now part of AB InBev’s global brands. Today, Budweiser is brewed in 63 breweries worldwide.

Chevron (Pacific Coast Oil Co.)

Founded: 1879
Category: Energy

Founded in 1879 as Pacific Coast Oil Co., Chevron traces its roots to the Standard Oil network, which acquired Pacific Coast Oil in 1900.

After the acquisition, the company became Standard Oil Company of California, and in 1984 it merged with Gulf Oil, then the nation’s fifth‑largest petroleum business, marking one of the largest U.S. mergers ever. The merger also introduced a new name—Chevron Corporation. 

In the subsequent decades, Chevron became the No. 1 U.S. refiner and marketer as well as one of the nation’s leading oil and gas producers in the Gulf of Mexico.

Today, Chevron is investing in lower‑carbon energy solutions including renewable natural gas and hydrogen as part of its long‑term aim to deliver increasingly cleaner energy. 

With 45,298 employees, Chevron boasts $193.4 billion in sales.

Coca-Cola (The Coca-Cola Company)

Founded: 1886
Category: Beverages

Founded in 1886 by Dr. John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia, Coca-Cola began as a medicinal tonic sold at soda fountains. The brand quickly gained popularity, and by 1892, Asa Candler had acquired the rights to Coca-Cola, forming The Coca-Cola Company.

Over the decades, Coca-Cola expanded its product portfolio and global reach, becoming one of the most recognized and valuable brands in the world. Its iconic contour bottle, introduced in 1915, remains a symbol of the brand's heritage and innovation.

Today, Coca-Cola operates in over 200 countries, offering a diverse range of beverages, including sparkling drinks, juices, teas, and water. The company is committed to sustainability, with initiatives like "World Without Waste," aiming to collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one sold by 2030.

With a workforce of thousands and a presence in nearly every corner of the globe, Coca-Cola continues to refresh the world and make a difference through its community and environmental efforts.

General Electric

Founded: 1892
Category: Energy/Industrial Manufacturing

When inventor Thomas Edison and the staff at The Edison Electric Light Company demoed the first long-lasting incandescent lamp to the public on New Year’s Eve in 1879, the moment marked the beginning of unprecedented convenience for everyday Americans.

The lightbulb turned night into day, signaling the dawn of the electrical era. But it was General Electric, the (J.P. Morgan–facilitated) merger of Edison’s U.S. lighting company with the Thomson-Houston Electric Company, that catalyzed it.

GE’s innovation-led DNA drove the commercialization of electricity, with its systems powering homes and factories, hospitals, transportation networks, and more.

Led by Thomas Edison and Charles Coffin, who had been Thomson‑Houston’s CEO, GE went on to launch game‑changing consumer home appliances, from the first completely automatic clothes washer to the first food‑preserving refrigerator; pioneer medical inventions like the first CT scanner; and bring scalable silicone manufacturing to power‑generation systems, supporting the build‑out of the U.S. power grid in the early 20th century.

Today, GE’s legacy endures through its three publicly traded companies—GE Aerospace, GE HealthCare, and GE Vernova—with GE Vernova’s power generation and grid technologies now supporting roughly 25% of global electricity production.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Founded: 1898
Category: Automotive

Established in 1898, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has been a driving force in the automotive industry for over a century. Known for its commitment to quality and innovation, Goodyear has played a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of tire technology and mobility solutions worldwide.

Goodyear's legacy includes early advancements in tubeless tire technology and continuing advancements in run-flat tire technology. The company has also been a leader in performance tires for motorsports, including its long-standing partnership with NASCAR, showcasing its dedication to excellence and durability.

Today, Goodyear operates on a global scale, offering a diverse range of tires for passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, aviation, and industrial applications. With a focus on sustainability, Goodyear is advancing tire technology to improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and incorporate renewable materials.

With a rich history of innovation and a forward-looking approach, Goodyear continues to empower drivers and industries, ensuring safe and efficient mobility for generations to come.

Ford 

Founded: 1903
Category: Automotive

Founded in 1903 by Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan, Ford Motor Company revolutionized the automotive industry with the introduction of the moving assembly line in 1913, making vehicles more affordable and accessible to the masses. The Model T, launched in 1908, became a symbol of innovation and mobility, solidifying Ford's place as a pioneer in the industry.

Over the years, Ford has expanded its product lineup to include a wide range of vehicles, from trucks and SUVs to electric and hybrid models, while maintaining its commitment to quality, safety, and innovation. Iconic models like the Ford Mustang and F-Series trucks have become cultural and industry benchmarks.

Today, Ford operates globally, with manufacturing facilities and a presence in markets around the world. The company is driving the future of mobility with significant investments in electric vehicles, autonomous technology, and sustainable practices, including its goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

With a legacy of innovation and a focus on shaping the future of transportation, Ford continues to build vehicles that empower individuals, support communities, and drive progress.

General Motors (GM)

Founded: 1908
Category: Automotive

Established in 1908 in Flint, Michigan, General Motors quickly became a pioneer in the automotive industry. Under the leadership of William C. Durant, GM brought together multiple car brands, including Buick, Cadillac, and Oldsmobile, creating a diverse portfolio that set the foundation for its global success.

Throughout its history, GM has been at the forefront of automotive innovation, from introducing the first electric self-starter in 1912 to leading advancements in electric and automated vehicle technology today. The company played a pivotal role in shaping the modern automobile industry, producing iconic vehicles and fostering a legacy of engineering excellence.

Today, GM operates in numerous countries, manufacturing vehicles under brands like Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Buick. The company is deeply committed to sustainability and innovation, with significant investments in electric vehicles, autonomous driving technology, and reducing its carbon footprint.

With a robust workforce and a global presence, General Motors continues to drive the future of mobility while contributing to economic growth and community development worldwide.

IBM

Founded: 1911
Category: Technology

Founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and renamed International Business Machines (IBM) in 1924, IBM has been at the forefront of technological innovation for over a century. From pioneering mainframe computers to advancing artificial intelligence, IBM has consistently shaped the evolution of technology and its applications in business and society.

IBM's contributions include the development of early programmable computers, the introduction of the magnetic stripe card, and breakthroughs in AI with its Watson platform. The company has also been a leader in quantum computing, cloud services, and sustainability initiatives, driving progress across industries.

Today, IBM operates globally, providing cutting-edge solutions in artificial intelligence, hybrid cloud, blockchain, and cybersecurity. With a strong focus on ethical AI and data responsibility, IBM is committed to empowering businesses and communities through technology.

With a legacy of innovation and a vision for the future, IBM continues to redefine what’s possible, helping organizations transform and thrive in an ever-changing digital landscape.

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