Orville redenbacher popcorn biography sample
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At the height of his success, the Orville Redenbacher brand became synonymous with high-quality popcorn, attracting the attention of major food corporations.
Orville Clarence Redenbacher (1907 - 1995)
Biography
Orville Redenbacher is Notable.
Orville Redenbacher was born on a small corn farm in Brazil, Indiana on July 16, 1907, to William Joseph Redenbacher and Julia Magdalena (Dierdorff) Redenbacher.
They named their company Chester Hybrids.
Orville Redenbacher was interested in creating perfect popping corn and spent his spare time working on a new strain. He built a bunk house and kitchen near the office for the workers.
Charles Fredrick Bowman, like Orville, was an Indiana farm kid, a Purdue graduate and a frequent visitor and friend to Orville.
Accessed August 21, 2016. On September 19, 1995, he apparently suffered a heart attack and was unable to get out of his Jacuzzi. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1046.
In the midst of his thriving fertilizer business, Redenbacher dedicated considerable time and resources to perfecting this strain. Unable to attend the 17th annual Popcorn Festival in Valparaiso on September 9, he had been able to fly to Indianapolis for a wedding, but cut his trip short and returned to California.
Orville and Corinne decided to make the move and take on the new challenge in Boone Grove.
Orville organized and became manager of Chester Hybrids with partner Charles F. Bowman in Valparaiso in 1952. Additionally, he worked at Princeton Farms, further honing his expertise in crop production. He even appeared on the television show To Tell the Truth where he stumped panelists such as Kitty Carlisle Hart, Peggy Cass and Joe Garagiola.
The county fair had been abandoned in 1910 and in 1930, Orville led the effort to revive the county fair, providing space and premium money for the 4-H Club program that was to be central to the event.
Brand Creation and Rise to Fame
Together with his business partner Charlie Bowman, Redenbacher developed a popcorn hybrid initially called RedBow.
His parents were Will and Julie Redenbacher, who also were the parents of older siblings Elsie, Mabel, and Karl.
At about twelve, Orville began to raise popping corn and sold it on the cob in fifty pound sacks to stores in nearby Brazil and Terre Haute. His appearances not only promoted the popcorn but also elevated him to celebrity status, making him a memorable figure in advertising history.
It was too late in the season to be replanted. Active in his local 4-H chapter during his childhood, this initial engagement with farming fueled his ambition to excel in the field. Later, on the advice of marketing experts, the name was changed to Orville RedenbacherPopcorn. They initially named their creation RedBow, but an advertising agency advised them to rebrand it.
Over the years, Redenbacher not only marketed his popcorn effectively but also demonstrated a genuine commitment to quality, which resonated with consumers.