COMPANYHISTORIES
SIC 2092

Seafoods, Fresh and Frozen

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

4companies1906–1991founding years4still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedGorton's
1906
FoundedOscar Mayer Foods Corp.
1911
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedNational Sea Products Ltd.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1955
EconomyMcDonald's franchising begins, remaking fast food.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedOrkla A/S
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Gorton's →
Active · founded 1906
A company with roots as old as the fishing industry itself, Gorton's, a wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever United…
Oscar Mayer Foods Corp. →
Active · founded 1911
Oscar Mayer Foods Corp.
National Sea Products Ltd. →
Active · founded 1945 · Canada
National Sea Products Ltd.
Orkla A/S →
Active · founded 1991 · Norway
Orkla A/S is the largest branded consumer goods group and food and beverage producer in Scandinavia and one of the five…
Build It Today

Starting a seafoods, fresh and frozen company now

Each week we rebuild one of these stories with today's tools and capital.