Randy Chandler
Kraft is a brand of processed cheese manufactured and sold by Kraft Heinz. The company was founded by James L. Kraft, a Canadian-born businessman of German descent, who began by delivering cheese from wholesale warehouses outside Chicago to businesses inside the city. In 1906, Kraft and his brother Charles began processing cheese for distribution to area retailers. Kraft patented a spoil-resistant processed cheese, which was sold in great quantities to the U.S. Army during World War I. Today, Kraft Singles are individually wrapped slices of cheese that are manufactured and sold by Kraft Heinz.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | Kraft Foods Group |
| Parent company | Kraft Heinz Company |
| Headquarters | Northfield, Illinois |
| Year founded | 1903 |
| Founder | James L. Kraft |
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What You'll Learn
- Kraft cheese was first made in Chicago, Illinois, in 1903
- Kraft is a division of Kraft Heinz Company, one of the world's largest food and beverage manufacturers
- Kraft cheese slices were introduced in 1950
- Kraft cheese is not made from real slices off a block
- Kraft cheese is not 'Pasteurized Process Cheese'
Kraft cheese was first made in Chicago, Illinois, in 1903
Kraft's cheese-delivery business was beneficial to businesses in Chicago, as it cut out the hassle of getting the cheese themselves. This could possibly have been the start of processed cheese squares, as Kraft aimed to make cheese more streamlined. When his brothers joined him, they created J.L. Kraft & Bros Co. to make cheese more efficient.
Kraft's cheese business focused on wartime supplies. The company received a patent for both the method and apparatus used to produce its new cheese slices. Norman's nephew, an engineer, modified his refrigeration method by using a chill roll, meaning that the machinery that made cheese slices could continuously operate and produce even more cheese slices when the time was right.
Kraft tested out its new cheese slices in Detroit in 1947, but sales were far less than expected. The cheese was so perfectly stacked that customers didn’t even know they were individually sliced! According to legend, a Kraft salesman was so frustrated that he threw a pack on the floor and stomped on it – when he opened the package, the slices peeled to perfection.
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Kraft is a division of Kraft Heinz Company, one of the world's largest food and beverage manufacturers
Kraft is a division and brand of Kraft Heinz Company, one of the world's largest food and beverage manufacturers. The company was formed by the 2015 merger of Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Holding Corporation. Kraft Foods' headquarters are in Northfield, Illinois.
Kraft was founded by James L. Kraft, a Canadian-born businessman of German descent, who started a wholesale cheese-delivery business in Chicago in 1903. Three years later, he and his brother Charles began processing cheese for distribution to retailers. Two other brothers later joined the firm, and in 1909 it was incorporated as J.L. Kraft Bros. & Company. The brothers patented a spoil-resistant processed cheese, which was sold in great quantities to the U.S. Army during World War I.
Kraft is known for its individually wrapped cheese slices, which were introduced in 1950 as "Kraft De Luxe Process Slices". Initially, they were not wrapped individually, but in 1956, an American engineer named Arnold Nawrocki developed a machine to do this. Kraft introduced individually wrapped cheese slices in 1965, and the product eventually became synonymous with the brand.
In Australia, the Kraft branding was retired in 2017, and the company's cheese products line was sold to Bega Cheese, which switched the name of the sliced cheese product from "Kraft Singles" to "Dairylea Slices". Despite this, around 40% of households in the United States continue to buy Kraft Singles.
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Kraft cheese slices were introduced in 1950
Kraft cheese slices were the brainchild of Norman, who received a patent for both the method and apparatus used to produce the new cheese slices. Norman's nephew, an engineer, modified his refrigeration method by using a chill roll, meaning that the machinery that made cheese slices could continuously operate and produce even more cheese slices. In 1947, Kraft tested out their new cheese slices in Detroit, but sales were far less than expected. The cheese was so perfectly stacked that customers didn't even know they were individually sliced!
Kraft cheese slices are a brand of processed cheese product manufactured and sold by Kraft Heinz. They are not really slices off a block, but formed separately in manufacturing. Kraft Singles do not qualify for the "Pasteurized Process Cheese" labelling, as the percentage of milkfat in the product that comes from the added dairy ingredients is greater than 5%.
Kraft cheese has its origins in a wholesale cheese-delivery business established in Chicago in 1903 by James L. Kraft. Three years later, he and his brother Charles began processing cheese for distribution to area retailers. Two other brothers later joined the firm, and in 1909 it was incorporated as J.L. Kraft Bros. & Company. The brothers patented a spoil-resistant processed cheese, which was sold in great quantities to the U.S. Army during World War I.
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Kraft cheese is not made from real slices off a block
Kraft cheese is processed cheese. James L. Kraft was the first to patent processed cheese. In 1906, he and his brother Charles began processing cheese for distribution to area retailers. Two other brothers later joined the firm, and in 1909 it was incorporated as J.L. Kraft Bros. & Company. The brothers patented a spoil-resistant processed cheese, which was sold in great quantities to the U.S. Army during World War I.
Kraft cheese slices were first tested in Detroit in 1947, but sales were far less than expected. Customers didn't even know that the cheese was individually sliced, as it was so perfectly stacked. The slices were initially not wrapped individually, but in 1956, an American engineer developed a machine to do this. Kraft introduced individually wrapped cheese slices in 1965.
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Kraft cheese is not 'Pasteurized Process Cheese'
Kraft cheese is a brand of processed cheese manufactured and sold by Kraft Heinz. The company was formed in 2015 by the merger of Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Holding Corporation. Kraft Foods' headquarters are in Northfield, Illinois, but the company has a long history dating back to 1903 when James L. Kraft started a wholesale cheese-delivery business in Chicago.
Kraft Singles, introduced in 1950, are individually wrapped "slices" of cheese that are formed separately during manufacturing. These slices do not qualify for the "Pasteurized Process Cheese" labelling as the percentage of milkfat in the product that comes from added dairy ingredients is greater than 5%.
The FDA gave a warning in December 2002 stating that Kraft could no longer use the "Pasteurized Process Cheese" label due to a formulation change. This change replaced some of the non-fat milk in the recipe with milk protein concentrate, which is not a permitted additive.
Kraft cheese is not Pasteurized Process Cheese because it does not meet the specific requirements for that label. Pasteurized Process Cheese must have a milkfat content of 5% or less, and the milkfat must come from the natural cheese used in the product. Kraft Singles have a milkfat content of greater than 5%, and the milkfat comes from added dairy ingredients, not natural cheese.
Additionally, Kraft cheese is not Pasteurized Process Cheese because it is not made using the same methods as traditional Pasteurized Process Cheese. Traditional Pasteurized Process Cheese is made by blending natural cheese with other ingredients, such as emulsifiers and salt, and then heating and shaping the mixture. Kraft cheese, on the other hand, is made using a patented process that involves modifying the refrigeration method by using a chill roll, allowing for continuous operation of the machinery and increased production.
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Frequently asked questions
Kraft cheese is made in Northfield, Illinois.
Yes, Kraft cheese is made in the US, in Northfield, Illinois.
The headquarters of Kraft Foods is in Northfield, Illinois.
Kraft cheese is made in Northfield, Illinois.
