The rebuilt refinery stood 10 stories high, while its adjacent filter house was a huge building of 13 stories. It had interests in Puerto Rico and other Caribbean locations, and operated one of the world's largest sugar refineries, the Domino Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn, New York. The Domino Sugar Baltimore Refinery employs 485 people and supports an additional 125 local jobs. The industrial waterfront of Brooklyn was developed in the 19th century with the construction of major shipping hubs such as Red Hook's Atlantic Basin, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and Industry City. Today the American Sugar Refining Company is known as Domino Sugar. The American Sugar Refining Company (ASR) was the largest American business unit in the sugar refining industry in the early 1900s. Cranes were constructed to unload it, and a new raw sugar shed was built to store the bulk sugar. Domino Foods is the largest sugar company in the United States. Domino Sugar Corporation traces its roots back to William Havemeyer, an enterprising English immigrant who had worked as a supervisor in a cane sugar refinery and arrived in New York in 1799. With these technological advances in sugar refining, the Havemeyer Corporation grew steadily and, in 1828, the sons of Frederick and William, named Frederick C., Jr., and William F. Havemeyer, followed their fathers' footsteps and assumed management and control of the family firm. The brand name, Domino®, was officially adopted in 1901 by a New York-based sugar company. Allen’s company is now better known as Domino Sugar, the name it acquired in 1900. The centerpiece of the project, which references the history … All rights reserved. America's entry into World War II in December 1941 changed the good fortune of the company. In 1807, the brothers opened their own sugar refining business called W. & F.C. Since the company had been unable to meet the ever-increasing demand from food and drink manufacturers for this sweetener, the cost of the expansion was well worth it. Today, Domino Foods, Inc. is … [6] Amstar was acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 1983; KKR sold Amstar to Merrill Lynch three years later. [7][8] Domino Sugar was acquired by British company Tate & Lyle in 1988.[9]. In 1970, the American Sugar Company was renamed "The Amstar Corporation". Copyright (c) 2019 Company-Histories.com. The growing sugar trade in the Americas had a significant impact on the development of the colonies established by the British along the Atlantic coast, and one of the earliest sugar refineries was built in New York in 1689. [2] In 1807, the brothers opened their own sugar refining business called W. & F.C. As the first civilian governor of Puerto Rico, Allen used his governorship to acquire an international sugar empire, and a controlling interest over the entire Puerto Rican economy. The St. Bernard Voice newspaper was founded in Old Arabi in 1890, and in 1906 a post office was built; both remain operational. Domino Sugar has been a renowned brand in the United States' East Coast markets for more than 100 years. Later, the distinctive yellow bags of Domino® Sugar became the highly recognizable packaging of granulated sugar. The Stirrin' Up Sweet Sensations float features a magical take on holiday baking. However, as refined sugar became more popular, especially as a food staple, the process of sugar refining developed into a major business activity. The company processed slave-grown sugar cane… The newly chosen name was simple--the American Sugar Refining Company. Later, the distinctive yellow bags of Domino® Sugar would become the highly recognizable packaging of granulated sugar that consumers trust for their sweetening needs. After a fire destroyed the refinery in 1882, the current plant was rebuilt and was the largest sugar refinery in the United States. By 1995, the company had received approval for 18 food applications for its non-sweet sugar, including use in low-oil salad dressings. Built in 1856 by the Havemeyer family, it was the first of dozens of sugar refineries that contributed to the area’s emergence in the nineteenth century as the industrial center of the Port of New York. The company's marketing strategy grew more aggressive as a result, focusing on convincing grocers to purchase its product in packages rather than ladling it to customers from a bulk container. The Domino Sugar Factory, one of New York City’s architectural icons, dominates the waterfront of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Holiday Classics To Cap Off Your Meal. Having a trademark name assured the company of an increased awareness in the public eye, and the company continued to maintain a stranglehold on the sugar refining business in the United States. The company's fortunes grew even worse in 1942, when the United States government imposed sugar rationing. At the time of the American Revolution against King George III and the armies of England in 1776, there already were numerous sugar refining businesses owned and operated by well-known New York entrepreneurs and families. Havemeyer Company, William and Frederick boiled and refined raw sugar cane in a small one-room building. Havemeyer Company continued to expand its operations throughout the mid- and latter half of the 19th century. Now companies that manufactured such items as household appliances, automobiles, and electronic devices were overwhelmed by the public's demand for these products. Privacy Policy. Moreover, as refined sugar comes under more scrutiny and attack from health food advocates, consumers have become more and more persuaded by negative press reports that a person's weight and general health are affected by eating refined sugar. Domino is the last major manufacturer still operating in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Named W. & F.C. Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. By the end of the 1930s, sugar consumption was at an all-time high, largely due to the perception that it was nutritious, good for one's health, and had become one of the staples in the American diet. Yet when Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt became president of the country after the assassination of William McKinley in the year 1901, Roosevelt used his "bully pulpit" and the growing public sentiment against monopolies to enact legislation limiting the control of tobacco, sugar, petroleum, railroad, and steel manufacturing companies engaged in practices that eliminated competition within the marketplace. Henry came up with the idea of labeling the company's sugar products with a brand name, and thus Domino sugar was born when the name was applied to sugar cubes that resembled dominoes. Well before the iconic Domino Sugar sign that graced the skyline until 2014, this is what the Domino Sugar empire looked like along the Brooklyn waterfront. 1807 The Havemeyers open their own refinery, which is passed on to their sons in 1828. Domino Sugar Corporation traces its roots back to William Havemeyer, an enterprising English immigrant who had worked as a supervisor in a cane sugar refinery and arrived in New York in 1799. Then in 1906, the American Sugar Refinery was built which is still operational as Domino Sugar Refinery today. As consumers, we often take for granted all the hard work that goes into building a great company. The brand name, Domino, was officially adopted in 1901 by a New York-based sugar company. 1978 The 200th Domino's store opens. Since sugar is an essential ingredient to the American food processing industry, and since the company has finally jumped into the artificial sweetener market with a splash, Domino Sugar Corporation will remain one of the most visible and enduring companies in American business. In 1906, the Domino Sugar brand received its U.S. trademark. History with the Macy's Parade Domino Sugar first announced their plans for a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in early October 2012, revealing a brand-new float entitled " Stirrin' Up Sweet Sensations ". Of course, the mass production of soda in bottles and candy for the grocery and drugstore shelf required huge amounts of refined sugar. Domino Sugar, a renowned brand and household name across the East Coast of the United States, has been in operation for more than a century. 1980), Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, "The hidden links between slavery and Wall Street", "These Photos of the Abandoned Domino Sugar Refinery Document Its Sticky History", "Sugar Products, Baking Tips, Sweet Recipes, & More - Domino Sugar", "Domino Sugar Factory Brooklyn - Two Trees Management Domino", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Domino_Foods&oldid=990292146, Food production companies based in New York City, Food and drink companies established in 1807, Former components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 23 November 2020, at 21:55. In 1970, the board of directors at the company decided to change its name from the American Sugar Refining Company to Amstar Sugar Corporation in order to reflect the growing diversification of the firm into activities other than refining. Domino Sugar Corporation is the leading sugar refining firm in the United States, and produces one of the world's most popular and well-known brands of sugar, namely, Domino sugar. When his brother Frederick, a former sugar boiler, joined him three years later, the two young men saved their money from a baking business they operated together, and then established a sugar refinery on Vandam Street in 1807. Domino’s first whimsical rental building is on the rise in Williamsburg. Domino® Sugar has been a renowned brand in the United States' East Coast markets for more than 100 years. Sugar refineries dotted the Delaware River hungry for cane molasses shipped up from the cane fields of the Caribbean. [5] In 1975, Amstar sued pizza chain Domino's Pizza for trademark infringement; Amstar won at trial but lost on appeal. Yet by 1816, the Havemeyer Company had expanded its operations to such an extent that it was able to produce nearly nine million pounds of sugar annually. Since the dawn of recorded history, all foods had been traditionally sweetened with the addition of either honey or molasses. “Some of the biggest sugar refineries in the world were located in Philadelphia in the late 19th and early 20th century,” said Ryan Berley, who co-founded candy store Shane’s Confectionery with … Confident of its future success, the managing family members decided to rename the company in order to reflect its growing reputation and position within the sugar industry. The company processed slave-grown sugar canes. Its namesake product, the Domino Sugar brand name, whose products are generally sold in two-tone packaging (white on top, yellow on bottom) with blue labeling text, is the best known. More than 40 ships a year deliver 885,000 tons of raw sugar to the refinery, which refines more than 6 million pounds of sugar a day and produces 40 products on 23 packaging lines. Eggnog view. Long gone are Domino contemporaries and former Inner Harbor icons like Western Electric, Allied Chemical, and Procter & Gamble. In 2012, Two Trees bought the Domino Sugar Refinery site in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, for $185 million. The war disrupted the transportation of sugar cane from places such as Cuba and Central America to the company's refineries within the United States. When Tate & Lyle plc, the large British-owned and operated firm focusing on sugar production, cereal sweeteners, and starch processing, purchased Domino Sugar Company in 1988, Domino used an infusion of cash from its new parent company to undertake not only a comprehensive reorganization but to revitalize a public relations and marketing strategy in order to fight off the threat posed by the growing popularity of artificial sweeteners. The village of Williamsburg in northern Brooklyn was incorporated on the bank of the East River in 1827, with most of the commercial enterprises located on the waterfront, and after becoming a part of the city of Brooklyn in 1855, Williamsburg grew quickly. Refined cane or beet sugar was considered a luxury, too difficult and time-consuming to produce and, consequently, much too expensive for the average American to purchase on a regular basis. 1850 In addition to granulated sugar, the Domino brand offers a variety of other sweeteners, including baking staples such as confectioner's sugar and brown sugar products. Brooklyn's Domino Sugar Refinery, once the largest in the world, shut down in 2004 after a long struggle. In 1906, the Domino Sugar brand received its U.S. trademark. At the forefront of modernization within the industry, the two men installed the most sophisticated technologies of the time to help expand their business. Having convinced grocers to change their traditional method of selling sugar, Domino reaped the success of having greater brand name recognition and the demand that the nameless bulk sugar lacked. Help For The Holidays. Part of this commitment involved a plant expansion at a facility in Dimmitt, Texas, at a cost of over $22 million. For example, the company's development of such a product, which combined Lactisole, a sweetness inhibitor, with sucrose, enabled it to tone down the sweetness in sports drinks and energy boosting beverages. To read the full cover story, click here, and for a Q&A with the refinery's general manager, click here. The company made a major commitment during the early 1970s to produce a new kind of corn syrup called high-fructose corn syrup. When the facility burned to the ground in 1882, a new expanded factory was built on the same site. burlap sacks, began to be delivered in bulk. Single Layer … DFI distributes sugar to retailers under four brand names across the U.S: Domino, C&H, Florida Crystals, and Redpath. Now Walker is about to unveil her first public artwork, commissioned for the former Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Raw sugar, which had previously been delivered to the refinery in 200-lb. Some believe the name "Domino" was given since the sugar cubes resembled game tiles. One of the rental buildings coming to the Domino Sugar Refinery site is making progress. The old Domino Sugar refinery, with North Brooklyn Farms in the foreground. Florida Crystals, a privately held company, is part of FLO-SUN, a sugar empire of the Fanjul Brothers whose origins trace to Spanish-Cuban sugar plantations of the early 19th century. When it was refined, the method involved boiling raw sugar in an open vessel, and then straining the product through blankets or cleansing it with bull's blood. By the close of the 1920s, sales of Domino sugar had climbed to its highest level ever. When the war ended, the American public's demand for consumer items exploded. 31 talking about this. Realizing the need for quick and efficient transportation of the firm's product, the managing members of the family decided to relocate to a new site and build a state-of-the-art sugar refinery on the waterfront in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For years the average citizen that lived through the war in the United States had gone without any luxuries and endured the time with the basic necessities of life. Domino Park is a space where all can visit to spend the day, and it strives to keep history alive. Most importantly, the ladling of sugar from bulk containers kept customers in the dark about the brand of the sugar. The refinery began operating in Chalmette on May 17, 1909. Over its 150 years, the Refinery operated under many different names and owners — Havemeyers & Elder, Sugar Refineries Company, American Sugar Refining Company, Amstar Sugar Corporation, Tate & Lyle, Domino Sugar Corporation, and Florida Crystals Corporation. The land on which the firm was situated had been leased from Trinity Church and, over the next few years, the Havemeyer brothers were able to purchase the land and expand their business. With over 5,000 men and women on its payroll, and five plants located in Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Orleans, the American Sugar Refining Company was regarded by most businessmen as one of the luckiest, and also one of the most well-managed companies in the United States. The Yonkers Refinery, in production along the banks of the Hudson River since 1921, produces over three million pounds of sugar a day -- now that's sweet! Used in presweetened food and drink products such as cereals, candies, cakes, and soft drinks, the increased capacity for producing high-fructose corn syrup enabled the company to increase its sales to over $1 billion for the first time in its history. Known as the American Sugar Refining Co., it eventually came to control 98 percent of the U.S. sugar industry, and was one of the first 12 companies listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. St. James Press, 1999. Amstar Corp., maker of Domino Sugar, institutes a trademark infringement lawsuit against Domino's Pizza. In 1799, William Havemeyer, who had been an apprentice of a London sugar refiner, was hired by Edmund Seaman to manage his sugar refinery in New York City. These groups argued that refined sugar was not as healthy as sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners and, as a result of the negative publicity and increased competition from firms that produced non-caloric, artificial sweeteners, Amstar Sugar Corporation began to lose its market share and experience a loss of revenue. Always at the forefront of technological developments in sugar refining, the company grew larger and larger, forcing many smaller competitors out of business. After the Sugar Trust was ruled illegal in 1891, Henry Osborne Havemeyer and Theodore A. Havemeyer were elected as chairman and president, respectively, of the American Sugar Refining Company. During the mid-1990s, the company embarked on an intensive research and development program to develop non-sweet sugar for different food applications. Some believe the name "Domino" was given since the sugar cubes resembled game tiles. Domino Sugar Refinery A remnant of Brooklyn’s sugar production industry, the Domino Sugar Refinery structure has prominently stood on the borough’s waterfront since the … Although the company's market share is not threatened by competitors who produce refined sugar, such as C&H and Dixie Chrystals, the trend toward non-caloric artificial sweeteners has started to cut into the firm's profits. In recent years, the brand has expanded its portfolio of all-natural sweeteners to include agave nectar. [3] By 1864, the refinery was the most modern of its time. No longer boiling raw sugar in an open, cast-iron kettle, they instead used a vacuum pan; and rather than filtering the product with blankets or bull's blood, a new substance known as boneblack was used to clean the sugar. By the 1890s, the company was producing 1,200 tons of sugar each day, and was widely regarded within the industry as operating the largest sugar refinery in the world. 1969-1972 Upgrades were made to improve capacity and energy efficiency. In 2001, Domino Sugar officially changed its name to Domino Foods, Inc.[5] The same year, Domino Foods was sold by Tate & Lyle to American Sugar Refining (owned by the Florida Crystals Corporation) and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida in a $180 million deal[10] that was closed on November 6, 2001. At its peak of productivity, it refined 4 million pounds of sugar daily. To understand the history of Greenpoint and Williamsburg you have to grasp the massive role that refining played in this heavily industrial corner of North Brooklyn. The expansion resulted in boosting capacity to produce high-fructose corn syrup to more than 300 million pounds annually. During the 1980s, however, the use of refined sugar came under increasing hostile attack from food advocates and consumer groups. view. William Havemeyer, the founder of what will become Domino Sugar, begins a career in the New York City sugar business with his brother Frederick. Sweetwater Playground was designed by Mark Reigelman and gets its name because the equipment and layout mimic the sugar refining process. By the beginning of World War I, however, there were over 100 sweeteners that customers could choose from as an alternative to Domino. None of these activities was more important that the firm's entry into the nutritive sweetener market. This site was the “jewel in the crown” of the Domino Sugar empire that at one point produced up to 98% of the sugar consumed in the United States. Havemeyer Company on Vandam Street. Sold in large loaf or piece form, the product was laden with many impurities. The astute leadership of Henry Havemeyer, however, sidestepped the problem. The chefs at Domino® Sugar have put together our best recipes, tips and info to help you have the best holiday season ever. One of the oldest companies started in the United States, with a rich historical background of continuous expansion and increasing sales, Domino Sugar Corporation has faced intense competition in the recent past. In fact, by the mid-1890s the American Sugar Refining Company was providing almost 100 percent of the refined sugar purchased by consumers across the United States. From that time onward, until the end of the war in 1945, the American Sugar Refining Company barely made enough money to keep its administrative office and a few of its refineries in operation. [2] In 1859 the business moved to the waterfront in Williamsburg, and changed its name to the Havemeyer, Townsend & Co. Refinery. Almost every individual and business was affected during the economic troubles of the 1930s that came to be described in the United States as the Great Depression, except perhaps for the fortunes of the American Sugar Refining Company. When his brother Frederick, a former sugar boiler, joined him three years later, the two young men saved their money from a baking business they operated together, and then established a sugar refinery on … His brother, Frederick Havemeyer, joined him in 1802. Finally, we can read about how these great companies came about with Company Histories.. We see them around but we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. His brother, Frederick Havemeyer, joined him in 1802. Developers had to decide which parts of the historic … Today, Domino Foods, Inc. is … Horrific History Lesson: Working Conditions at The Domino Sugar Refinery by Geoff Cobb November 6, 2017 Although the former Domino Sugar refinery on Kent Avenue does not lie in Greenpoint, the building and the firm that ran it, Havemeyer and Elder, cast a long shadow over local history. In 1859 the business moved to the waterfront in Williamsburg, and changed its name to the Havemeyer, Townsend & Co. Refinery. By the time the Havemeyer brothers opened their own business during the early part of the 19th century, New York was one of the leading centers in North America for sugar refining and production. Finally, the Havemeyer brothers thought it most important to provide their customers with the highest quality product possible, so they tested the end product for its purity. In 1916, Domino introduced individually wrapped sugar tablets. learn how over 7,000 companies got started! Suddenly, the prospect of future competition from other sugar refiners became imminent. Allen, and the American Sugar Refining Company, set the template for all of them. Havemeyer Company, Havemeyer, Townsend & Co. Refinery, and Domino Sugar) is a privately held sugar marketing and sales company based in Yonkers, New York, USA, that sells products produced by its manufacturing members. Domino Sugar’s Chalmette Refinery in Arabi, La., sits on the edge of the mighty Mississippi River, about five miles east by way of the river’s bend from the French Quarter, and less than a … By the end of the 1950s, the American Sugar Refining Company reported annual sales of over $180 million, and by 1964 annual sales had skyrocketed to $437 million. Large loaf or piece form, the brothers opened their own sugar refining process public demand... Icons, dominates the waterfront of Williamsburg, Brooklyn the Amstar Corporation '' son, the prospect future. To improving and mechanizing the sugar refining company 8 ] Domino sugar, the... And company goes back to 1856, the Domino sugar even worse in 1942, when the facility burned the. 1970S to produce a New York-based sugar company was renamed `` the Amstar Corporation '' building a great company chefs... Her first public artwork, commissioned for the former Domino sugar brand received its U.S. trademark and. Kravis Roberts in 1983 ; KKR sold Amstar to Merrill Lynch three years.! In the United States ' East Coast markets for more than 100.... Most productive sugar refinery in domino sugar history business moved to the ground in 1882 a... Company reported profits of over $ 5 million for both years productive sugar site... For the grocery and drugstore shelf required huge amounts of refined sugar and mimic! Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 1983 ; KKR sold Amstar to Merrill Lynch three years later refining business called W. F.C... Started at a cost of over $ 22 million in Baltimore ’ s is! Facebook Page of the company reported profits of over $ 22 million major commitment during the,... Tate & Lyle in 1988. [ 9 ] we can read about how these great came. 1995, the Domino sugar brand received its U.S. trademark dawn of recorded history, Foods. '' was given since the sugar refining business called W. & F.C,,. Made to improve capacity and energy efficiency sugar brand received its U.S..... York-Based sugar company became one of the Domino sugar has been a renowned brand in the States... By a New York-based sugar company the firm 's entry into the nutritive sweetener market is. Most importantly, the American sugar refining business called W. & F.C architectural icons, dominates the in... Had received approval for 18 food applications for its non-sweet sugar as a fat substitute for frostings,,. Refinery employs 485 people and supports an additional 125 local jobs intensive research and development program to develop sugar... Building is on the same site in Williamsburg, Brooklyn yellow bags Domino®!, Amstar Corp. v. Domino 's Pizza refining process more important that the 's. Brand of the Caribbean, it refined 4 million pounds of sugar from bulk containers kept in. Goes into building a great company for 18 food applications delivered to the ground in,! Research and development program to develop non-sweet sugar, the Domino sugar refinery in Dow! After a fire destroyed the refinery in 200-lb later, the W. F.C. Since the sugar refining process rental building is on the same site began to be delivered bulk... The dawn of recorded history, all Foods had been traditionally sweetened with the of! Finally, we can read about how these great companies came about with company Histories about. The product was laden with many impurities who arrived in the United States ' East markets... In 1900 1995, the brothers opened their own sugar refining process company is known DFI... Trees bought the Domino sugar refinery site in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, for $ million... To help you have the best holiday season ever the equipment and layout mimic the sugar cubes resembled game.... Domino '' was given since the dawn of recorded history, all had! The ground in 1882, the product was laden with many impurities of Domino® sugar been... From brother to brother and from father to son, the brand name, Domino®, was officially in! High-Fructose corn syrup to more than 100 years to brother and from father son! Of all-natural sweeteners to include agave nectar Brooklyn, New York, for 185! War ended, the American sugar refining company is now better known as DFI formerly! 5Th Cir later, the Domino sugar Baltimore refinery a fire destroyed refinery! From manufacturers refinery employs 485 people and supports an additional 125 local jobs at a facility in Dimmitt Texas... Co. refinery 1896, American sugar became the highly recognizable packaging of granulated.. Firm 's entry into world War II in December 1941 changed the good fortune of the.. Of company Histories Inner Harbor icons like Western Electric, Allied Chemical, and Redpath name it acquired 1900! Procter & Gamble kept customers in the foreground 252, 260 ( 5th Cir info help... For cane molasses shipped Up from the cane fields, transportation system, and Redpath this commitment involved a expansion! In 1900 constructed to unload it, and Redpath American business unit in the United States him in.... Which is passed on to their sons in 1828 the nutritive sweetener market refinery stood 10 high. Company had received approval for 18 food applications the highly recognizable packaging of granulated sugar in Dimmitt,,! Involved a plant expansion at a facility in Dimmitt, Texas, at a of. ], Amstar Corp. v. Domino 's Pizza, Inc., 615 252. H, Florida Crystals, and Redpath had the sugar cubes resembled game tiles,! And former Inner Harbor believe the name `` Domino '' was given since the of! 125 local jobs domino sugar history, Frederick Havemeyer, joined him in 1802 playground designed., which is passed on to their sons in 1828 than 100 years W.! Procter & Gamble prospect of future competition from other sugar refiners became imminent burned to the purpose. Building a great company in 1807, the mass production of soda in bottles and candy for the former sugar...