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| Product type | Mustard, condiments, food items |
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| Owner | McCormick & Company |
| Country | Rochester, New YorkUnited States |
| Introduced | 1904; 121 years ago (1904) |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | R.T. French Company Reckitt Benckiser |
| Website | www |
French's is an American brand of preparedmustards, condiments, fried onions, and other food items, best known for their popular yellow mustard. Created by Robert Timothy French, French's "Cream Salad Brand" mustard debuted to the world at the 1904St. LouisWorld's Fair. By 1921, French's Mustard had adopted its trademarkpennant and begun advertising to the general public. French's is now owned byMcCormick & Company.[1]
Brothers Robert and George French bought aflour mill in 1883 inFairport, New York. It burned down in 1884 and they relocated toRochester, New York. They named their new mill the R.T. French Company. Robert French died in 1893 and George became company president. George (who developed thecreamy yellow mustard) and another brother, Francis, introduced French's mustard in 1904.
In 1926, French's was sold toJ. & J. Colman of the United Kingdom, a company that produced its own mustard brand, and home care products such asLysol, Reckitt's Blue andBrasso.[2]
In 1928, theAtlantis Sales Corporation was formed as a subsidiary of R. T. French to handle sales and distribution of French's, Reckitt, and Colman products.[3] Atlantis remained a separate entity through the 1950s.
In 1960, French's purchased L.C. Forman and Sons Pickle Company ofPittsford, New York. Forman produced a variety of pickle products, including a well-knownpiccalilli relish.[4]
In 1965, French's introduced a new line of "Cattlemen’s"barbecue sauce. The line was inaugurated with the trip of a horse-drawn "chuck wagon" fromBuffalo, New York, acrossupstate New York toNew York City and then toPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, in June, 1965.[5]
In 1970, the company purchased Widmer Wine Cellars ofNaples, New York. The winery was sold in 1983.[6]
In 1971 the company announced construction of a new plant inSpringfield, Missouri, which would "ultimately result in the termination of manufacturing operations in Rochester." The headquarters, however, was expected to remain.[7]
In 1985, the company sold its instant potato operations inShelley, Idaho, toPillsbury.[8]
In 1986, Reckitt & Colman acquired Durkee Famous Foods; in 1987 and consolidated headquarters in New Jersey. Durkee's French onions became French's crispy fried onions.[9][10]
In 1999, Reckitt & Colman merged with Benckiser NV to formReckitt Benckiser.
In 2017,McCormick & Company acquired French's from Reckitt Benckiser.[11]
For many years, the fictitious "Carol French" was the face of the company. Her name appeared on numerous recipes and cookbooks, the oldest of which may beDining Delights from 1948.[12][13]
Until 1987, French's headquarters was located inRochester, New York.[14] The headquarters is now located inChester, New Jersey. During its heyday, French's was a sponsor of the local weather forecast, featuring its address prominently in television advertising. They also were a prominent sponsor of theRochester Red Wings baseball club, often in conjunction with alocal brand of hot dogs,Zweigle's. The former headquarters location at 1 Mustard Street is now home to a variety of professional offices and public agencies.
French's also had facilities inShelley, Idaho, for potato products. A plant inSouderton, Pennsylvania, was constructed in 1957 and closed in the 1990s. A plant inFresno, California, closed in 1994. Manufacturing operations were consolidated inSpringfield, Missouri.
Historically, R. T. French variously manufactured a line of spices and extracts, condiments, pickle products, sauces and gravy mixes, instant potato products, and pet care products, in particular canary and parakeet seeds.
As of 2016, supermarkets stock French's mustards, its popular line of French'sfried onions,Worcestershire sauce, a line ofmayonnaise-based products, ketchup,barbecue sauce, potato sticks, and friedjalapeños.[15]
In 1981, a man named Rodney Moquin was convicted of defrauding a number of people, claiming he was heir to the French's Mustard fortune. He accumulated over $40,000 in goods and real-estate (equivalent to $141,600 in 2025) before his arrest.[16]
The transaction is expected to be completed in the third or fourth quarter of McCormick's fiscal year, which ends in November. The deal is subject to regulatory approval.
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