May 3, 2022
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New packaging and “Taste what you love” campaign to debut Spring 2022
May 3, 2022 (Memphis, TN) – Wesson, America’s best-selling plant based cooking oil brand, is reinvigorating the cooking oil aisle across America for the first time in over 2 decades.* New owner, Richardson International Limited (“Richardson”), a global leader in agriculture and food processing, breathes new life into the 123-year-old brand with a refreshed look inspired by Wesson’s storied history. Wesson has been trusted for generations of home cooks and professional chefs alike to be the pure foundation for every meal. With a nod to the past and looking confidently to the future, Wesson is investing to uphold its longstanding place in American kitchens for the next generation. The new look will begin to appear on grocery shelves this month.
“We’ve acquired a renowned brand, a good plant run by great people, and we’re honored to be the stewards of this trusted name in cooking,” Thor Richardson (Assistant Vice-President, Richardson). “Wesson is a key piece in our vertical integration strategy. We’ve spent decades building a reliable supply chain to deliver quality food from the farm field to the bottle on shelf. Wesson has been trusted by consumers for over 123 years. As a 165-year-old family company, we value trust built over generations and look forward to continuing to earn the patronage of Wesson consumers for years to come.”
New generation, new Wesson
Today more than ever, Americans are rediscovering family traditions that bring loved ones together over food. Nearly 75% of Americans plan to continue increased levels of home cooking, with millennials leading the trend.** Wesson’s new creative brings this culinary shift to life and demonstrates the power of family recipes to transcend generations. A video shows a young woman connecting with her past by preparing her late aunt’s chocolate ganache cake recipe exactly the way her aunt always made it – with Wesson.
“Only a food culture icon could maintain its market leadership position despite a two-decade long advertising hiatus,” Irman Webb (Director U.S. Retail Sales, Richardson). “More than a century ago Mr. Wesson innovated plant based cooking oil, moving us away from rendered animal fat. The proprietary purification process made a superior oil that cemented consumer loyalty, giving Wesson a cult status that has been passed down for generations through family recipes. We’re eager to reconnect with home cooks across America over great food.”
Wesson’s refresh celebrates its origins
Inspired by over a century of bottle design evolution, Wesson’s new look brings back the brand’s original bold colors and typography for immediate recognition among loyal consumers while delivering a modern, clean aesthetic for a new era. Wesson’s commitment to its proud Tennessee roots is evident, sporting a new white cap engraved with “Pure. Established 1899. Memphis USA.”
About Wesson
Wesson Oil is America’s best-selling cooking oil brand. Established in 1899, Wesson has been a staple in kitchens for generations and continues to be the go-to ingredient for home cooks and professional chefs around the world. Wesson is owned by Richardson International. For more information, visit www.purewesson.com.
About Richardson International
Richardson International Limited is Canada’s largest agribusiness and is recognized as a global leader in agriculture and food processing. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the company is a worldwide handler and merchandiser of all major Canadian-grown grains and oilseeds and a vertically-integrated processor and manufacturer of oats and canola-based products. Over the past two decades, Richardson has become a significant player in the global food business, producing a wide variety of food products and ingredients for the retail, food service, and industrial markets. One of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, Richardson continues to grow, thanks to the dedication and innovative spirit of over 3,100 employees worldwide. Richardson International is a subsidiary of James Richardson & Sons Limited, a family company established in 1857.
*IRI scanner data latest 52 weeks ending 03/27/2022 at total US Multiunit Outlet + Convenience, best-selling brand based on volume (lbs), excludes private label
**IRI latest 52 weeks ending 01/23/2022 at total US Multiunit Outlet + Convenience; Mintel, “Consumer Approach to Nutrition: U.S. 2021,” December 2021; Kantar, “U.S. Monitor 2021 (Q1),” February 2022
For more information, contact:
Tara McCarthy
press@purewesson.com
P: +1 901 729-5770
Wesson media kit with visual assets and recipes available here.
IG @wesson
FB @purewesson
Pinterest @purewesson
