Robert J. Vlasic Dies at 96; Made a Fortune by Making Pickles Funny

By the early 1940s, the business had begun expanding into fruits and vegetables, and had landed on the idea of putting pickles in jars so they were easier to transport and store. They were a hit: Pickles were the perfect food for wartime America, where every scrap of food was saved.

As he rose in the company, Mr. Vlasic decided to move it away from distribution to production. He bought a sauerkraut plant in Imlay City, about an hour north of Detroit, and added machinery to make pickles. He signed contracts with cucumber and cabbage farmers, and he expanded into nearby states and eventually the rest of the country.

Vlasic initially sold pickles in just three styles: plain, Polish and kosher, the last being the most heavily spiced. At its height, it was selling nearly 100 products, from classic spears and stackers to fancy relishes.

When Mr. Vlasic sold his company to Campbell Soup, he insisted on a seat on the Campbell board of directors. Not only did he get one; he went on to serve as chairman of the board from 1989 to 1993. (The Vlasic label is now owned by Conagra Brands.)

Mr. Vlasic married Nancy Reuter in 1950. She died in 2016. Along with his son Bill, he is survived by four other sons, Jim, Rick, Mike and Paul; 17 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

After selling his family business, Mr. Vlasic founded and ran a technology company, O/E Automation. But he spent more and more of his time serving on nonprofit and charity boards around Michigan. He acted as a financial adviser to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit, and he was the first person outside the Ford family to lead the board of the Henry Ford Hospital.

It was, his son said, the sort of work he relished.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/business/bob-vlasic-dead.html