This article will attempt to answer the question ‘Did the Dorsa Brothers Invent Eggo Waffles’?
Table of Contents
- 1 Who created Eggo waffles?
- 2 How did it all begin?
- 3 How did they make all of those Eggo waffles?
- 4 When did the Kellogg’s Company take over?
- 5 Who created the famous slogan ‘Leggo my Eggo’?
- 6 What are Eggos made out of?
- 7 Which countries are Eggo waffles sold in?
- 8 Are Eggo waffles sold in England or India?
- 9 What varieties of Eggo waffles are available?
- 10 How many billions of dollars in sales does the frozen waffle market generate each year?
- 11 What is the market share of the Eggo Brand in the frozen waffle market?
Who created Eggo waffles?
The relationship between food and time has been a longstanding one. Americans have always found ways to keep their food fresh for longer periods of time, which is why it is not uncommon to find people preserving fruits in their cellars for months at a time. When brothers Frank, Anthony, and Samuel Dorsa (known as the Dorsa Brothers) introduced square-shaped Eggo frozen toaster waffles in 1953, they changed our morning breakfast routine forever with the invention of frozen toaster waffles. They are really convenient because they are pre-cooked and frozen, then heated in a toaster or microwave.
There are even Eggo size waffle makers that you can use to make Eggo waffles at home. Unfortunately, most of them do not have removable waffle plates that can be cleaned in a dishwasher.
How did it all begin?
It all began in 1932 when the three Dorsa brothers developed a mayonnaise that became very popular with the locals in a basement in San Jose, California that belonged to their parents. It was called Eggo Mayonnaise because it used more eggs than other leading brands. It was made from 100% fresh ranch eggs, triple refined vegetable oil, the highest quality spices, and pure vinegar.
Next, they decided to get into the waffle business by developing a powdered Eggo waffle mix. It was simple to use because all you had to do was add some milk to create fresh waffle batter that you could bake in your waffle maker.
In 1938, they took the profits from the sales of their Eggo mayonnaise and waffle mix and bought the Garden City Potato Chip factory. At first, they started selling Eggo potato chips. In order to speed up the process of peeling the potatoes that would be used to make these chips, Frank Dorsa used the knowledge he gained from being a machinist to build a continuous potato peeler. Eventually, they started selling noodles and pretzels as well.
How did they make all of those Eggo waffles?
During the early 1950s, frozen foods were really taking off and Frank Dorsa wanted to take advantage of their popularity so he decided to figure out how to mass-produce frozen waffles.
Frank Dorsa decided to build a machine that would bake many waffles at the same time which would dramatically reduce the time-consuming work of pouring and monitoring the batter for hundreds of waffles. Eventually, in 1953, Frank Dorsa finally figured out what the perfect solution should be. It was a gigantic carousel powered by an engine that would make it spin around continuously. Many waffle makers were attached to the carousel and monitored by employees. This process allowed them to make thousands of waffles each hour. Each of the waffles was then frozen and packaged.
The Dorsa Brothers introduced the first frozen toaster waffles to American supermarkets in 1953 with the brand name of “Froffles”. They used this name because the product was frozen and it was a waffle. The name was changed in 1955 to ‘Eggo’ because customers constantly referred to them as “Eggos” due to their overly eggy taste.
When did the Kellogg’s Company take over?
In 1966, the Eggo company was purchased by Fearn Foods, Inc. (later renamed Fearn International Inc.), and then, in 1970, the Kellogg Company acquired Fearn International Inc. Eggo waffles were really popular on the West Coast for many years but nowhere else. It did not gain national recognition until Kellogg purchased Eggo in 1970.
Who created the famous slogan ‘Leggo my Eggo’?
The Kellogg Company wanted to raise the national profile of Eggo waffles so they hired the Leo Burnett ad agency to help. In 1972, they debuted the ‘Leggo My Eggo’ campaign and it was so successful that it lasted until 2008, a total of 36 years. In 2014, the Kellogg Company decided to bring the slogan back.
What are Eggos made out of?
Eggo waffles taste very similar to the waffles you make at home so it should not surprise you to find out that they are made from similar ingredients: enriched flour, eggs, sugar, baking soda, and vegetable oil. The eggs give them their fluffy texture, the sugar makes them sweet, the baking soda is a leavening agent, and the vegetable oil gives them a crispy exterior and keeps them from sticking to the cooking plates.
Which countries are Eggo waffles sold in?
Eggo waffles are only sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Are Eggo waffles sold in England or India?
Unfortunately, for people living in England and India, Eggo waffles are not sold in either country.
What varieties of Eggo waffles are available?
The most popular Eggo waffle flavors include Homestyle, Buttermilk, Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip, and Strawberry.
How many billions of dollars in sales does the frozen waffle market generate each year?
According to an article from Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, it generates $1.1 billion each year.
According to the same article from Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery that was mentioned above, the Eggo brand accounts for over 70 percent of the sales in the frozen waffle market.
