In 1942, Dannon Yogurt was founded in The Bronx in the midst of World War II but America wasn’t quite ready for the taste.
But five years later right here in The Bronx in 1947, an idea came to fruition of you will, and the company’s founder, Daniel Carasso decided to put strawberry fruit on the bottom of the cup of yogurt.
Back in Europe where yogurt was pretty standard un many countries, fruit compote was commonplace but American food safety laws didn’t permit the mixing of dairy with anything due to safety concerns.
Carasso was able to convince the authorities that by putting it in the bottom and not the top, the fermentation process wouldn’t technically mix thus making it safe for packaging.
Soon after, the company had to expand to larger headquarters in Long Island City in 1950 as the demand increased.
Before then, they were producing a few hundred cups a day by hand in The Bronx which were then delivered throughout the borough, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.
Although the company didn’t last long in The Bronx, it’s still great to know that something we take for granted each day started right here in the great borough of The Bronx.
Check out Food & Wine’s article: How Fruit Got to the Bottom of Your Yogurt Cup
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