We found a great list of American grocery brands and their date of founding. It was on the website catcherman.com. Here is just the 19th century section. Putting it in list form makes it sort of illustrative.
- 1872, Blackjack chewing gum
- 1876, Premium soda crackers (later Saltines)
- 1881, Pillsbury flour
- 1886, Coca-Cola
- 1887, Ball-Mason jars
- 1888, Log Cabin syrup
- 1889, Aunt Jemima pancake mix
- 1889, Calumet Baking Powder
- 1889, McCormick Spices
- 1889, Pabst Brewing Company
- 1890, Knox gelatine
- 1890, Libby introduces keys to canned meat
- 1890, Lipton tea
- 1891, Del Monte
- 1891, Fig Newton
- 1891, Quaker Oats Company
- 1893, Cream of Wheat
- 1893, Good & Plenty
- 1893, Juicy Fruit gum
- 1894, Chili powder
- 1895, Shredded coconut
- 1895, Triscuits
- 1896, Cracker Jack
- 1896, Michelob beer
- 1896, S&W canned foods
- 1896, Tootsie Roll
- 1897, Campbell’s condensed soup
- 1897, Campbell’s tomato soup
- 1897, Grape Nuts
- 1897, Jell-O
- 1898, Nabisco graham crackers
- 1898, Shredded Wheat cereal
- 1899, Wesson Oil
