Few food companies have had a more lasting impact on American eating and buying habits than Pittsburgh’s own H.J. Heinz Company. By developing quality products and marketing them in innovative and creative ways, the company grew from a small local food purveyor into one of the most recognized brands in the world.

Born in Pittsburgh in 1844 to German immigrant parents, Henry John Heinz began selling produce from his mother’s garden to local grocers as a boy. By age 25, in partnership with his friend and neighbor Clarence Noble, he founded the Heinz & Noble Company in Sharpsburg and delivered to grocers his horseradish – and later pickles, sauerkraut, and vinegar. Following several ups and downs in the early years of the business, including bankruptcy in 1875, Heinz rebuilt the company and

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