Орвилл Реденбахер: Америкалық агроном және кәсіпкер

American businessman (1907–1995)

the person

Orville Clarence Redenbacher (July 16, 1907 – September 19, 1995) was an American food scientist and businessman most often associated with the brand of popcorn that bears his name which is now owned by Conagra Brands. The New York Times described him as "the agricultural visionary who all but single handedly revolutionized the American popcorn industry".

Orville Clarence Redenbacher was born in Brazil, Indiana, on July 16, 1907, the son of Julia Magdalena Dierdorff (1874–1944) and farmer William Joseph Redenbacher (1872–1939). He attended Purdue University, where he joined the agriculture oriented Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, marched tuba in the Purdue All American Marching Band, joined the Purdue University track team, and worked at the Purdue Exponent. He graduated in 1928 with a degree in agronomy.

The New York Times described Redenbacher: "But for all his bumpkin appearance, the man with the signature white wavy hair and oversized bow tie was a shrewd agricultural scientist who experimented with hybrids." They launched their popping corn in 1970. In 1976, Redenbacher sold the company to Hunt Wesson Foods, a division of Norton Simon, Inc. In 1983, Esmark purchased Norton Simon, which in turn was acquired by Beatrice Foods in 1984. In 1985, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts acquired Beatrice with the goal of selling off businesses. In 1990, they sold the popcorn business and other old Hunt Wesson businesses to agribusiness giant ConAgra.

In 1973 Redenbacher appeared on TV's To Tell the Truth game show. By the mid 1970s, Redenbacher and Bowman had captured a third of the unpopped popcorn market. Some customers wrote letters asking if Redenbacher was a real person, and not an actor. He responded to this by appearing on various talk shows, professing his identity. Redenbacher, in his book, states, "I want to make it clear that I am real." In 1988, Purdue University awarded him an honorary doctorate. Aside from his contributions to the popcorn industry, he is noteworthy for his appearances on television, and in particular, his charismatic image in commercials. Since 2006, several of Orville's commercials from the 1970s and 1980s have aired on many channels across the United States. The advertisements for the brand's "natural" popcorn snacks were introduced in 2008, 13 years after Redenbacher's death, and feature a clip of him at the end. In January 2007, a television commercial featuring a digital recreation of Redenbacher appeared. Redenbacher's grandson, Gary Redenbacher, responded to questions about how he felt about the advertisement by saying: "Grandpa would go for it. He was a cutting edge guy. This was a way to honor his legacy." Redenbacher's business partner, Charles F. Bowman, died in 2009. On September 4, 2012, Valparaiso, Indiana, where Redenbacher resided for much of his life, unveiled a statue of him at the city's annual popcorn festival. In 2012, Redenbacher was referenced by Andy Dwyer in an episode of season 5 of Parks and Recreation. In 2022, Redenbacher was mentioned by American musical comedian Bo Burnham in the song "Microwave Popcorn" from the deluxe edition of his soundtrack album Inside (The Songs).