Dietz & Watson

Dietz & Watson is an American manufacturer of delicatessen foods, based in Philadelphia.

History

Dietz & Watson was founded in 1939 by Gottlieb Dietz, a German sausage maker fleeing the economic collapse of his country in wake of World War I. Using capitol raised by working at a meat packing plant for almost two decades, Dietz bought the ailing Watson Meat Company and combined his name with the business' former owner Walter Watson (who took on the role of sales manager). Initially a small operation, when Dietz' daughter Ruth Eni took control of the company after her father passed, she built the company to be the largest deli meat purveyor in Philadelphia. A family run business, the company is in its third generation under Dietz' grandchildren. With facilities in Philadelphia, Baltimore (in the former Parks Sausage Company plant), Corfu, NY (in the former Yancey's Fancy Inc./Kutter's Cheese Factory) and Delanco, NJ, they employ over 1,000 people. The company is known for their high quality meat, importing beef from the Midwest and pork from Canada, and not using artificial flavors, colors, fillers, extenders or MSG.^[1] In 1975, they relocated to their present location in Philadelphia when their original facility needed to be cleared for the Interstate Highway System. When Federal guidelines changed about shipping meat, Dietz & Watson began to branch out to neighboring states and would eventually move into Japan, developing a growing market in Asia.^[2]

Charity Work

Beyond being one of the few remaining large-scale factories based in Philadelphia, Dietz & Watson contributes to local charities such as the Police and Fire Departments and the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial. Other charities include Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Crohn's & Colitis research, Police Athletic League, the Golden Slipper Organization, United Service Organizations, and, in sponsorship with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Hometown Heroes program.

Boar's Head Controversy

Reportedly, Boar's Head Provision Company threatened to ban sale of their product to supermarkets that continued to also carry Dietz and Watson.^[3] Dietz and Watson fired back with a blind taste test in Charlotte where the Philadelphia-based company was the overwhelming winner.^[4] During a charity event in Sarasota, Florida where Dietz and Watson products were taste-tested, Boar's Head appeared to disrupt the festivities.^[5] While there are no strong figures to say either way, Louis Eni (CEO for Dietz and Watson) claims his company is the second largest deli meat processor in the US with Boar's Head as the largest.^[6]

External links

• Company website

See Also

• Amoroso's Baking Company
• Federal Pretzel Baking Company
• Herr's Snacks
• Tastykake
• Utz Quality Foods, Inc.

References

1. ^ http://www.dietzandwatson.com/about-us/
2. ^ http://www.answers.com/topic/dietz-and-watson-inc
3. ^ http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillyinc/Dietz__Watson_takes_issue_with_Boars_Head_business_tactics.html
4. ^ http://neimangroup.com/news/2009/08/14/Neiman-Group-goes-to-War-in-Charlotte-for-Client-Dietz-&-Watson
5. ^ http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/Dietz__Watson_Boars_Head_boors_wrecked_cancer_fundraiser.html
6. ^ http://www.perishablepundit.com/index.php?date=09/04/09&pundit=1