Lincoln Snacks Company
Encyclopedia
The Lincoln Snacks Company (or Lincoln Snacks) was a manufacturer of caramel
ized popcorn
and popcorn/nut
mixes. Lincoln Snacks’ products are produced in Lincoln
, Nebraska
and sold nationally under the Poppycock, Fiddle Faddle
and Screaming Yellow Zonkers
(discontinued) brand names. Lincoln Snacks became a subsidiary of ConAgra Foods, Inc. on September 7, 2007.
firm founded in Berne
in 1865, which manufactured Ovaltine
in Villa Park, Illinois
. In 1960, Wander bought the rights to Poppycock
, a snack
consisting of caramelized popcorn and nuts, from Harold Vair, a Detroit
candy shop owner. In 1968, Wander merged with Sandoz Nutrition Corporation, a division of Sandoz
, to form Sandoz-Wander, Inc. (which is today the pharmaceutical company Novartis
). Poppycock production was moved from Villa Park to Lincoln, Nebraska
and the Lincoln Snacks Company was created as an operating division
of Sandoz-Warner.
; the manufacturing plant remained in Lincoln, Nebraska. On March 15, 1993, Lincoln Foods acquired Carousel Nut Products, Inc., an Owensboro, Kentucky
producer of roasted, raw and mixed nuts. Carousel’s operations were merged with the Lincoln plant in 1994. That same year, Lincoln Foods had an initial public offering of 2.15 million shares and began trading under “SNAX” on the NASDAQ
stock exchange.
The board of directors of Noel Group approved a "plan of complete liquidation and dissolution" in 1997. In June 1998, however, Brynwood Partners
purchased a controlling interest in Lincoln Foods. In 2004, Willis Stein & Partners
, a Chicago
private-equity firm, purchased Lincoln Foods as well as Jays Foods, Inc.
, another snack food manufacturer, and created Ubiquity Brands as a parent company. Ubiquity Brands also reverted Lincoln Foods' name to Lincoln Snacks Company. On September 7, 2007, Lincoln Snacks was purchased by Conagra Foods, Inc. for approximately $50 million in cash
. Lincoln Snacks now reports to ConAgra’s snack foods division headquartered in Edina, Minnesota
.
, a unit of Nabisco, Inc.
, the exclusive distribution of Fiddle Faddle and Screaming Yellow Zonkers products. On July 11, 1997 Lincoln Snacks entered another agreement with Nabisco, Inc. which granted Lincoln Snacks the right to use Planters’ trademarks in the marketing of Fiddle Faddle. On May 1, 1997, however, Lincoln Snacks resumed marketing and distributing Screaming Yellow Zonkers.
s. The “original” Poppycock is a "premium priced" product and contains popcorn, almonds and pecans covered in a candy/caramel glaze
. Additional Varieties include:
covered in either the “original” caramel glaze or a “butter
toffee
” glaze. The original Fiddle Faddle box was the first snack box to feature a carrying handle.
y yellow glaze. Screaming Yellow Zonkers was introduced in 1969 as a nut-free alternative to existing caramelized popcorn products. Allan Katz
was the creator of the original box and ad campaign. Screaming Yellow Zonkers was featured on the Food Network
show Unwrapped
in 2002, but has since been discontinued.
Similar Products:
Caramel
Caramel is a beige to dark-brown confection made by heating any of a variety of sugars. It is used as a flavoring in puddings and desserts, as a filling in bonbons, and as a topping for ice cream, custard and coffee....
ized popcorn
Popcorn
Popcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
and popcorn/nut
Nut (fruit)
A nut is a hard-shelled fruit of some plants having an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts...
mixes. Lincoln Snacks’ products are produced in Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and sold nationally under the Poppycock, Fiddle Faddle
Fiddle faddle
Fiddle Faddle is candy-coated popcorn produced by ConAgra Foods. Introduced in 1967, the snack is commonly found in discount and drug stores. Fiddle Faddle consists of popped popcorn covered with either caramel or butter toffee and mixed with peanuts....
and Screaming Yellow Zonkers
Screaming Yellow Zonkers
Screaming Yellow Zonkers was a snack food, first produced by Lincoln Snacks in the USA in the 1960s. Screaming Yellow Zonkers are popcorn with a yellow sugary glaze, in a black box....
(discontinued) brand names. Lincoln Snacks became a subsidiary of ConAgra Foods, Inc. on September 7, 2007.
Wander years
The Lincoln Snacks Company has roots in the Wander Company, a SwissSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
firm founded in Berne
Berne
The city of Bern or Berne is the Bundesstadt of Switzerland, and, with a population of , the fourth most populous city in Switzerland. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 43 municipalities, has a population of 349,000. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000...
in 1865, which manufactured Ovaltine
Ovaltine
Ovaltine is a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract , sugar , cocoa, and whey...
in Villa Park, Illinois
Villa Park, Illinois
Villa Park is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 22,075 at the 2000 census. A special census in 2003 set the population at 22,517...
. In 1960, Wander bought the rights to Poppycock
Poppycock
Poppycock is a brand of candied popcorn. Though it is marketed in a variety of combinations, the original mixture consists of clusters of popcorn, almonds, and pecans covered in a candy glaze. Other specialty combinations include mixtures with emphasis on cashews, chocolate, and...
, a snack
Snack
A snack is a small portion of food eaten between meals. The food might be snack food—items like potato chips or baby carrots—but could also simply be a smaller amount of any food item.-Snacks and health:...
consisting of caramelized popcorn and nuts, from Harold Vair, a Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
candy shop owner. In 1968, Wander merged with Sandoz Nutrition Corporation, a division of Sandoz
Sandoz
Founded in 2003, Sandoz presently is the generic drug subsidiary of Novartis, a multinational pharmaceutical company. The company develops, manufactures and markets generic drugs as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnological active ingredients....
, to form Sandoz-Wander, Inc. (which is today the pharmaceutical company Novartis
Novartis
Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, ranking number three in sales among the world-wide industry...
). Poppycock production was moved from Villa Park to Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
and the Lincoln Snacks Company was created as an operating division
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Sandoz-Warner.
Ownership changes
In February 1992, Sandoz-Wander announced intentions to sell their Lincoln Snacks division due to a decline in net sales. On August 31, 1992, Lincoln Snacks was acquired by Noel Group, Inc., a public buyout firm. Lincoln Snacks’ name was changed to Lincoln Foods Inc. and sales, marketing and administrative headquarters were relocated to Stamford, ConnecticutStamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
; the manufacturing plant remained in Lincoln, Nebraska. On March 15, 1993, Lincoln Foods acquired Carousel Nut Products, Inc., an Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
producer of roasted, raw and mixed nuts. Carousel’s operations were merged with the Lincoln plant in 1994. That same year, Lincoln Foods had an initial public offering of 2.15 million shares and began trading under “SNAX” on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
stock exchange.
The board of directors of Noel Group approved a "plan of complete liquidation and dissolution" in 1997. In June 1998, however, Brynwood Partners
Brynwood Partners
Brynwood Partners is a private equity investment firm focused on leveraged buyout and other control investments.Since its founding in 1984, the firm—headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut—has raised five investment funds, most recently raising a $250 million fund in 2005. Through these funds, the...
purchased a controlling interest in Lincoln Foods. In 2004, Willis Stein & Partners
Willis Stein & Partners
Willis Stein & Partners is a private equity firm focused on leveraged buyout transactions for middle-market companies.The firm's most notable investments have included Ziff Davis, Roundy's, Jays Foods, Lincoln Snacks Company and Petersen Publishing Company .The firm is headquartered in Chicago and...
, a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
private-equity firm, purchased Lincoln Foods as well as Jays Foods, Inc.
Jays Foods
Jays Foods, Inc. is a manufacturer of snack products including potato chips, popcorn and pretzels. Jays Foods was founded in 1927 in Chicago, Illinois and is currently a subsidiary of Snyder's of Hanover. Operating in several Midwestern states, Jays Foods' potato chips and popcorn maintain...
, another snack food manufacturer, and created Ubiquity Brands as a parent company. Ubiquity Brands also reverted Lincoln Foods' name to Lincoln Snacks Company. On September 7, 2007, Lincoln Snacks was purchased by Conagra Foods, Inc. for approximately $50 million in cash
Cash
In common language cash refers to money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins.In bookkeeping and finance, cash refers to current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-immediately...
. Lincoln Snacks now reports to ConAgra’s snack foods division headquartered in Edina, Minnesota
Edina, Minnesota
Edina is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and a first-ring suburb situated immediately southwest of Minneapolis. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s. The population was 47,941 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
.
Manufacturing
Lincoln Snacks manufactures and packages all of its products at its Lincoln, Nebraska manufacturing facility. The facility was constructed in 1968 and is a 74000 square feet (6,874.8 m²) one-story building on a 10.75 acres (43,503.7 m²) site. Approximately 67000 square feet (6,224.5 m²) is dedicated to production with the remaining 7000 square feet (650.3 m²) being utilized for administration. Lincoln Snacks' 66500 square feet (6,178.1 m²) warehousing facility is located in Lincoln.Marketing and distribution
On July 17, 1995, Lincoln Snacks granted Planters CompanyPlanters
Planters is an American snack food company, a division of Kraft Foods, best known for its processed nuts and for the Mr. Peanut icon that symbolizes them. Mr. Peanut was created by grade schooler Antonio Gentile for a 1916 contest to design the company's brand icon...
, a unit of Nabisco, Inc.
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
, the exclusive distribution of Fiddle Faddle and Screaming Yellow Zonkers products. On July 11, 1997 Lincoln Snacks entered another agreement with Nabisco, Inc. which granted Lincoln Snacks the right to use Planters’ trademarks in the marketing of Fiddle Faddle. On May 1, 1997, however, Lincoln Snacks resumed marketing and distributing Screaming Yellow Zonkers.
Poppycock
Poppycock was invented by Harold Vair in the 1950s as a snack to accompany him on road tripRoad trip
A road trip is any journey taken on roads, regardless of stops en route. Typically, road trips are long distances traveled by automobile.-Pre-automobile road trips:...
s. The “original” Poppycock is a "premium priced" product and contains popcorn, almonds and pecans covered in a candy/caramel glaze
Glazing agent
Glazing agents, or polishing agents, are food additives providing shiny appearance or protective coating to foods. Mostly they are based on waxes.Examples are:* Stearic acid * Beeswax * Candelilla wax...
. Additional Varieties include:
- Cashew Lovers – Almonds and pecans of “original” variety replaced by cashews; introduced in 1999
- Chocolate Lovers – “Original” variety with chocolateChocolateChocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
drizzling; introduced in 2000 - Pecan delight – Almonds of “original” variety replaced by pralines; introduced in 2001
- Indulgence - Various flavor and nut combinations marketed towards women; introduced in 2007
Fiddle Faddle
Fiddle Faddle was introduced in 1967 as a "moderately priced" product. Fiddle Faddle consists of popcorn and peanutsPeanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
covered in either the “original” caramel glaze or a “butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
toffee
Toffee
Toffee is a confection made by caramelizing sugar or molasses along with butter, and occasionally flour. The mixture is heated until its temperature reaches the hard crack stage of 300 to 310 °F...
” glaze. The original Fiddle Faddle box was the first snack box to feature a carrying handle.
Screaming Yellow Zonkers
Screaming Yellow Zonkers is popcorn with a sugarSugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
y yellow glaze. Screaming Yellow Zonkers was introduced in 1969 as a nut-free alternative to existing caramelized popcorn products. Allan Katz
Allan Katz
Allan Katz, born in Chicago, is a writer, producer, actor, and director.He began his writing career as an advertising copywriter. In 1970 he created the original award-winning campaign for the popcorn snack Screaming Yellow Zonkers which was the first major product to be packaged in a predominantly...
was the creator of the original box and ad campaign. Screaming Yellow Zonkers was featured on the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
show Unwrapped
Unwrapped
Unwrapped is an American television program on Food Network that reveals the origins of foods. It first aired in June 2001 and is hosted by Marc Summers. The show leads viewers on tours of factories and other food-related locations. Popular subjects include candy, breakfast cereal, snacks, and TV...
in 2002, but has since been discontinued.
See also
ConAgra products:- Act II Popcorn
- Crunch 'n MunchCrunch 'n MunchCrunch 'n Munch is a brand of ConAgra Foods consisting of caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts. Crunch 'n Munch currently comes in its original form of Buttery Toffee as well as the added varieties of Caramel, Chocolate & Caramel, and Almond Supreme.-History:...
- Orville Redenbacher's PopcornOrville Redenbacher'sOrville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn is a brand of popcorn made originally by Chester Inc. which was owned by Charles F. Bowman and Orville Redenbacher . The product was launched to the public in 1969 and was sold to Hunt-Wesson, a division of Norton Simon Inc. in 1976...
Similar Products:
- Cracker JackCracker JackCracker Jack is a U.S. brand of snack consisting of strong molasses flavored candy-coated popcorn and peanuts, well known for being packaged with a prize of nominal value inside. Some food historians consider it the first junk food...