Mountain House (company)
 | |
| Private | |
| Industry | Food production |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Headquarters | Albany, Oregon |
| Divisions | OFD Foods |
| Website |
www |
Mountain House is an Oregon-based freeze-dried food brand of OFD Foods.
Founding
Mountain House’s parent company Oregon Freeze Dry (OFD Foods) was founded in 1964. They built a factory in Albany, Oregon in order to be close to the fruit farms and orchards of the state, first taking on a contract with General Foods to provide strawberries for their cereal products.[1] In 1967 OFD received a military contract to provide rations for the US military during the Vietnam War, for which it co-developed the Long Range Patrol rations that included “an 11-ounce package with cigarettes, gum, and 1,000-calorie entrées like chicken and rice or spaghetti with meat sauce” according to Outside Magazine, producing nine million per year for the army’s use. These meals replaced the outdated ration packs that were used during World War II and the Korean War.[2][3] The meals, created by chemist and company President Ellis Byers,[4] were also used on the Apollo space missions and for use in US Navy submarines.[5]
Recreational use
In 1969 Oregon Freeze Dry then developed fourteen flavors of rations for domestic outdoorsmen as well for use during backpacking trips.[2] This new line was called Tea Kettle, and was developed with outdoors company REI.[6] Following this Oregon Freeze Dry produced the “Mountain House” line, the name of which comes from the name of a restaurant Byers owned in central Oregon.[1] Mountain House was launched in the early 1970s.[7] By 1974, government sales accounted for only 14% of the company’s annual total, with the rest being distributed to recreationalists,[8] though OFD Foods still produces products for the US military and NASA.[9]
Company history
In 1978 Mountain House’s parent company was acquired by 7-Up Co., and again later that year by Phillip Morris.[10] In 1986, the company was once again taken private, returning to a locally owned Oregon company.[11][1] During the year 1999, it received a distinct uptick in business due to preppers stocking their homes with meals due to fears surrounding Y2K.[12]
Freeze-dried meals
Mountain House makes 33 varieties of freeze-dried meals, each with a shelf-life of thirty years.[2] About half of the meals are purchased annually for outdoor recreation, while the other half are purchased for emergency preparation.[6] The factory for Mountain House, based in Albany, Oregon, has been the subject of an episode of Extreme Factories on the Travel Channel in May 2013.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 "King of the hill in freeze-dried backpacking food? It's Mountain House, in Oregon's backyard". OregonLive.com.
- 1 2 3 The Editors. "Mountain House". Outside Online.
- ↑ "Cruising World".
- ↑ "110 Outdoor Ambassadors".
- 1 2 "Mountain House freeze dried food company from Albany featured on Travel Channel". OregonLive.com.
- 1 2 Steven Rinella. "A Love Affair With Freeze-Dried Food". Outside Online.
- ↑ STEVE LATHROP (29 June 2015). "Mid-Valley InBusiness: Oregon Freeze Dry offers long-term taste guarantee". Albany Democrat Herald.
- ↑ ”Oregon-made foods go into orbit” in Portland Magazine, Nov. 1, 1974. Page 50.
- ↑ "The Astronaut's Cookbook".
- ↑ Bob Olmos. “Growth ‘significant’ for freeze dry firm” in The Oregonian, July 29, 1979. Page C8.
- ↑ ”Oregon Freeze Dry: A step ahead” in Oregon Business, 1988. Page 18
- ↑ Brian Bubek. “Oregon Freeze Dry Enjoying Y2K boom” in the Albany Democrat-Herold, May 3, 1999. Page A4.