Bertman Foods Company
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Bertman Foods Company, founded as Joseph Bertman, Inc., is a wholesale grocery business which began in the 1920s in Cleveland, Ohio. It is best known for a formulation of mustard that became iconic in Cleveland, Ohio, spawning two brands, Bertman Original Ball Park Mustard and Stadium Mustard.[1][2]
The company sold pickles, salad dressings, spices, coffees, teas, and canned and dried foods products to schools, hospitals, and other large-scale food operations.[2][3] His company supplied mustard to League Park (then the home of the Cleveland Indians) and later to Cleveland Stadium. Bertman invented his spicy brown mustard in 1921.[4]
Bertman's mustard, under the family label, is served at Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, and is distributed retail in supermarkets and online through the company's website.
History
[edit]Joseph "Joe" Bertman began the business in his twenties with a partner in a garage at the Bertman home at E. 147th near Kinsman, where spices and pickles were processed and packaged.[2] The partner was bought out during the first few years of the business.[5] Bertman expanded his sales territory from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After WWII he had negotiated exclusive distribution rights to many food products with a fleet of trucks and a large sales force.
The company moved to 653 E. 103rd by the mid-1930s, and changed its name to Bertman Pickle Co.. Not too shortly after that, the company moved again, this time to 2180 E. 76th.[2] The company changed its name to Bertman Foods Company, which is now located at 7777 Grand Avenue in Cleveland.
References
[edit]- ^ Cleveland.com - Battle of the mustards: Stadium vs. Bertman's - October 2, 2011]
- ^ a b c d Encyclopedia of Cleveland History - Joseph Bertman
- ^ "www.bertmanballparkmustard.com". www.bertmanballparkmustard.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-24. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
- ^ "Bertman Ballpark Mustard".
- ^ Bertman Ballpark Mustard - Official Site - About Us