Rosella is a brand of tomato soup, tomato sauces, pickled vegetables, and condiments,[1] founded in Australia in 1895 as the Rosella Preserving & Manufacturing Co. Rosella has had a number of owners since, including a 40-year period where it was owned by Unilever. The current owner is Sabrands Australia, which acquired the brand in April 2013.[2]
 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1895 |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Soups, Sauces, Condiments |
| Parent | Sabrands Australia |
| Website | rosella |
It is named after the Australian parrot of the same name, which forms part of its logo.
History
editThe Rosella brand began in 1895 when founders H.R. McCracken (a commission agent) and T.J. Press (a grocer)[3] started making jams and preserving fruits in a backyard in Carlton, Victoria.[4] With the financial backing of Frederick John Cato (of grocery chain Moran & Cato) the company opened a small factory in Flinders Street, Melbourne before the Rosella Preserving Company opened its Richmond, Victoria, factory in 1905.[3]
Rosella soon gained a reputation for their tomato sauce, which was first produced in 1899 and which has since become one of Australia's best known food brands, although the company also produces soup and tomato chutney.[5][6] The company grew from its initial staff of six and by 1931 had over 1000 employees spread across six factories.[6][7]
Ownership history
editIn 1963 Rosella was taken over by Lever & Kitchen, later to be known as Unilever[8] and it remained under their ownership for most of the next four decades. In 2002 the company returned to Australian ownership under Stuart Alexander & Co Pty Ltd, who purchased the brand under a deal with Unilever.[6] Under the agreement, Unilever would retain ownership of the Rosella factory for five years, and during that period would continue to produce the Rosella products under contract to Stuart Alexander.[6][9] Stuart Alexander retained ownership of Rosella until 2006, when the Rosella brand was sold once more.[10]
In December 2012, the then current owner of Rosella, Gourmet Food Holdings (who also owned Waterwheel & Pitango), was placed into receivership.[11] After unsuccessful attempts to sell the company it was announced in early March 2013 that the company would be closed down and that the receivers were looking at selling the Rosella brand to a new owner.[12]
In April 2013, Sabrands Australia,[4] a private family company and the company behind Sunraysia fruit juice, purchased the Rosella brand and is manufacturing its soups, chutneys and relishes in Adelaide, South Australia and its condiments in Silvan, Victoria.[13]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Great Product Range". Rosella. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ "Our Story". Rosella. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ a b "1895 Rosella Preserving Company founded". australianfoodtimeline.com.au. September 1890. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ a b Collier, Karen (14 August 2013). "Rosella tomato sauce back on shelves after Sabrands buys the historic Aussie brand". Herald Sun. News Ltd. Archived from the original on 1 May 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
- ^ Symons, Michael, (2007). One Continuous Picnic: A Gastronomic History of Australian Eating, Melbourne University Publishing. ISBN 9780522853230. pp 116–117.
- ^ a b c d Hudson, Phillip; Douez, Sophie. (16 August 2012). "Rosella returns to its source Archived 13 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine", The Age, Melbourne, Australia. p5. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "Rosella Preserving Company". Mail. The Mail Adelaide. 8 August 1931. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ Harper, Jane (24 June 2014). "Meet the rescue crews reviving great Australian brands, Rosella and White King". The Herald Sun. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ Dickins, Jim. (16 August 2002). "Rosella brand boomerangs back to Australian hands". The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, Australia. p3.
- ^ "History Archived 9 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine", Stuart Alexander & Co Pty Ltd. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ Rintoul, Stuart; Speedy, Blair. (4 December 2012). "Red alert on Aussie icons as Rosella flies into trouble Archived 4 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine". The Australian. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "Iconic brand Rosella closes down Archived 1 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine", Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ "FAQ". Rosella. Archived from the original on 7 May 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.