Our History
At first glance the experiences of the Fleischmann family and the company they founded reads like a novelized version of the American Dream. Arriving in America with limited resources, they established a business that prospered, and invented a product whose market seemed insatiable. In less than twenty years the immigrant family had established a prosperous company with a great product, Fleischmann’s® Yeast.
Like millions of other immigrants who arrived during the middle and late nineteenth century to America from Eastern Europe, Charles and Maxmillian Fleischmann combined their meager capital and technical expertise to participate in the economic revolution sweeping the land.
The optimism held by many late nineteenth century industrial leaders was very strong in the Fleischmanns. Initially, however, they, along with their partner, had immense difficulty convincing independent bakers and households of the product’s usefulness. Their tenacity enabled them to endure the hardships that led to success.
From 1865 – 1918, technological advances in transportation, communication, business administration and advertising impacted businesses and industries nationwide. While these advances negatively affected some small and medium sized businesses, The Fleischmann Company benefited greatly, seizing any opportunity to experiment, expand and serve their customers, the commercial bakers and the individual household. To this very day, this dynamic belief in innovation and service remains a hallmark of the company.
In the early twentieth century, the business reached even greater dimensions than it had after the Civil War. The wave of speculation and corporate consolidation during the 1920s changed the character of The Fleischmann Company. Professionally educated businessmen replaced family members as leaders of the company, but their emphasis remained the same: scientific research and customer service.
In the late twentieth century, the company was acquired several times until it found its current home. As a division of AB Mauri® Food Inc, Fleischmann’s Yeast continues to be a market leader in Fresh and Active Dry Yeast as well as other bakery ingredients. AB Mauri offers a truly international portfolio of value-added bakery ingredients with more than 40 manufacturing facilities in 24 countries. The heritage of yeast and bakery ingredient excellence continues in North America with two well-respected companies – Fleischmann’s Yeast and Innovative Cereal Systems