Founded in Wisconsin - The Canning Industry in Green Bay

greenwoodphilip
Oct 9
7 min read

Wisconsin's food canning industry, originating in Manitowoc in 1887, played a pivotal role in the state's industrial growth, particularly in the Fox River Valley. This region's favorable conditions for crops like peas, corn, and beans facilitated the industry's rapid expansion, turning it into a central hub for food preservation. The area's geography, agriculture, and infrastructure supported this growth, leading to a competitive industrial network and technological advancements in canning processes. By acquiring vast farmland, companies secured a steady supply of raw materials, enabling large-scale production and cementing Wisconsin's status as a leader in the food canning sector from the late 19th to early 20th centuries.

Key Leaders in the Green Bay Canning History

William Larsen (1850–Date Unknown): The Larsen Canning Company, founded in 1890 by a visionary of Norwegian descent, significantly influenced Green Bay's industrial and agricultural landscape. By 1882, he ventured into wholesale farm produce, paving the way for his canning enterprise. The innovative "Larsen system" introduced vertical integration, revolutionizing Green Bay's canning sector and inspiring similar practices elsewhere. This model, involving farmland ownership and machinery investment, set new efficiency standards. By the mid-20th century, Green Bay became a technologically advanced processing hub, providing seasonal employment locally. The canning industry became crucial to Wisconsin's economy, maintaining leadership in canned goods production for over a century. The Larsen Canning Company, initially focused on peas, became Wisconsin's second oldest pea cannery. Strategically located near a railroad depot and using land from the Oneida Nation, Larsen optimized logistics and production. By 1908, mechanization enhanced efficiency, setting a local industry benchmark. Operations were streamlined by discontinuing dairy by 1928 and eliminating beef cattle and farmland by 1946. By 1945, the facility expanded with standardized machinery for large-scale processing. The company diversified its products to include kraut, apples, and sweet corn, creating brands like Veg-All and FreshLike, and remained independent until merging with Dean Foods in 1986.

The Green Bay Canning Company (GBCC), Established in 1907 by the Zimonick family, the company thrived for 80 years through strategic vertical integration and its prime location at Green Bay's "Three Corners" on Main Street. This location facilitated efficient logistics and supply access, enabling the company to compete despite its smaller size. The Zimonicks employed a dual strategy with the high-volume Green Bay Canning Company (GBCC) and the niche-focused Zimonick Brothers Produce, operating from 1409 and 1429 Main Street, cementing their legacy. GBCC was a key employer in Green Bay, utilizing a large workforce for field harvesting and in-plant processing. Its success depended on managing significant seasonal inputs, influencing facility design for substantial storage. Despite challenges like a 1915 fire, GBCC demonstrated resilience. In 1934, during the Great Depression, the Zimonick family assumed control, with Edward, Frank, and George leading the company to mid-20th-century success. In 1936, they expanded by acquiring the Smith Brothers Truck Farm, forming Zimonick Brothers Produce Inc., and diversifying into staple and niche products, ensuring financial stability and leadership continuity.

The Zimonicks made significant investments in their Main Street facility, adding a boiler house in 1932 and a processing building in 1943 to meet wartime demand. GBCC focused on producing canned staples for major food chains, prioritizing low-cost processing and reliable supply over brand development. This strategy made them a preferred partner for chains seeking affordable canned goods, likely operating in the private label or co-packing market. Edward, Frank, and George Zimonick acquired Smith Brothers Truck Farm, a wholesale produce operation specializing in sauerkraut canning since 1872. This acquisition allowed them to expand their product lines to include beans and tomatoes while maintaining sauerkraut as a specialty. The dual-plant structure was a strategic risk management approach, providing financial resilience by offsetting crop failures or price fluctuations in one crop with stability in others.

By the mid-20th century, the Zimonick family had successfully managed GBCC for eighty years, using standardized canning machinery to align perishable inputs with industrial processes. Technological advancements ensured food safety and operational efficiency. However, by the late 1980s, family-owned canning businesses like GBCC declined, leading to its acquisition by Stokely USA in 1987. This was part of a national trend toward consolidation, as smaller processors struggled against larger conglomerates. In 1989, Stokely USA attempted to modernize the Green Bay facility with a frozen vegetable operation, reflecting the industry's shift from canned to frozen produce. Despite these efforts, the plant closed in 1995 due to structural inefficiencies and logistical challenges, ending 88 years of production. This closure highlights how corporate rationalization often favored more efficient facilities, rendering older regional plants like GBCC obsolete.

Despite the sale, the Zimonick family stayed active in Green Bay's agricultural supply chain through Zimonick Brothers Produce, specializing in sauerkraut, beans, and mink feed. Richard C. Zimonick's death in 2021 marked the end of the family's direct management in their ventures. The specialized business remains active under the name Zimonick Produce and operates today as a foodservice supplier specializing in fresh fruits, vegetables, fresh cuts, and organic options. The company's core focus is on produce distribution, emphasizing cold-chain excellence with temperature-controlled trucks and multiple coolers. They serve a wide range of institutional and commercial clients, including schools, hotels, casinos, banquet halls, restaurants, government facilities, and correctional institutions.

Structural Shifts and Challenges in Wisconsin's Canning Industry

The decline of Wisconsin's canned food processing industry, once a key part of the state's identity, is driven by structural changes rather than temporary market shifts. This shift is due to a preference for frozen and fresh products, rising operational costs from modernization and environmental regulations, and challenges in the agricultural supply chain that make processing contracts less competitive. Since 1970, a significant drop in canned vegetable consumption has led to overcapacity and strategic reductions in canning infrastructure. Smaller canneries began struggling as early as the 1940s, with recent closures of major facilities like Del Monte Foods and Lakeside Foods highlighting this transition. The economic viability of traditional canning operations is hindered by stagnant demand and the inability to justify capital investments.

Consumer preferences have shifted towards convenience, favoring processed frozen meals and fresh-cut options over canned goods. The foodservice sector's demand for ready-to-use products to cut labor costs further pressured Wisconsin's aging canning facilities. Although the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily boosted canned goods demand, it quickly returned to normal, prompting producers to reduce capacity. The industry's decline stems from technological changes, consumer preferences, and significant cost pressures. Historically, Wisconsin's canning industry has faced undercapitalization and operational challenges, leading to obsolescence. Modern food processing requires substantial investment in advanced technology, posing challenges for older plants. High operational costs, reliance on seasonal migrant workers, and global trade policies further disadvantage domestic canners. Despite Wisconsin's agronomic strengths, the canning sector faces uncompetitive returns, leading to supply chain volatility and decreased acreage for processing vegetables. Vertical integration and external cost shocks reduce demand, while unattractive contracts impose financial pressure on canners and farmers, resulting in a decline in specialized vegetable supply and increased vulnerability to closure.

Closing - Evolution of Wisconsin's Food Processing Industry: From Canning to Value-Added Growth

The advent of frozen foods in the 1970s offered a superior preservation method, reducing demand for canned goods. Canning's high capital and seasonal labor requirements increased costs, especially with environmental regulations. Additionally, Wisconsin canners struggled with competitive agricultural contracts, leading farmers to shift focus away from vegetable processing. Despite the contraction of traditional canning, Wisconsin's food processing sector remains significant, generating $107 billion annually. The industry's future lies in adapting to trends in "further processing" and value-added foods, with potential growth in organic markets and centralized facilities, suggesting a shift towards higher value-added products rather than a complete disappearance from vegetable processing leadership.