Chun King

Chun King was an American line of canned Chinese food products founded in the 1940s by Jeno Paulucci, who also developed Jeno's Pizza Rolls and frozen pizza, and the Michelina's brand of frozen food products, among many others.[1] By 1962, Chun King was bringing in $30 million in annual revenue and accounted for half of all U.S. sales of prepared Chinese food. Chun King was sold to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, in 1966 for $63 million.[1]

R. J. Reynolds merged with Nabisco Brands in 1985 and the new company changed its name to RJR Nabisco in the following year. In 1989, Chun King was sold by RJR Nabisco to Yeo Hiap Seng of Singapore to help pay for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts's leverage buyout of RJR Nabisco.[2] RJR Nabisco had previously sold the Chun King line of frozen foods to ConAgra Foods in 1986. After losing market share, Yeo Hiap Seng sold Chun King in 1995 to Hunt-Wesson, the owner of rival La Choy.[3][4] Hunt-Wesson's parent ConAgra eventually closed Chun King's manufacturing facilities and phased out the Chun King brand.[5][6]

For the commercial production of egg rolls, Paulucci used a co-extrusion process developed by Demaco using a Demaco extruder.

See also

References
  1. Shapiro, T. Rees (November 30, 2011). "Jeno Paulucci, food visionary behind the pizza roll, dies at 93". The Washington Post.
  2. Key, Janet (June 22, 1989). "RJR Sending Chun King To Orient". Chicago Tribune.
  3. "Tea For Two: Battle for a Great Name and Address". Asiaweek. July 28, 1995. Archived from the original on 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  4. Redman, Russell (May 8, 1995). "Hunt-Wesson Acquires Chun King". Supermarket News.
  5. McQuaid, Kevin L. (April 4, 1995). "Chun King Corp. to close plant, eliminate 173 jobs". The Baltimore Sun.
  6. "Tidbits: Blue Parkay". Star Tribune. January 2, 2002. Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2013-10-19.


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