NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY, a United States biscuit manufacturing company, was incorporated on Feb. 3, 1898, under the laws of New Jersey with a charter valid for 99 years. This company was the result of the merger of the New York Biscuit company, American Biscuit and Manufacturing company and the United States Baking company, together with a number of smaller concerns. Originally capitalized at $55,000, 000, the authorized capital stock in 193o was $145,000,000, of which $25,000,000 was 7%, preferred stock and $120,000,000 ($10.00 par value) common stock. There was outstanding as of Jan. I, $24,804,500 preferred stock and $62,894,480 corn mon stock.
Prior to 1898, biscuit and crackers had been sold in boxes, barrels. crates and other large containers with the resulting lia bility to staleness before the merchandise was disposed of to consumers. The new company inaugurated the package for bis cuit with its "Uneeda Biscuit." The company now produces more than 400 varieties of biscuit as well as pretzels, rusk, ice cream cones and dog biscuit. Bread and cake are produced by its sub sidiary, the National Bread Company. The company operates 4o
cracker bakeries located in 36 cities of the United States, and has 26o selling branches, located in every section of the country. Bakeries in Toronto and Winnipeg are operated by a Canadian subsidiary, Christie, Brown & Co., Ltd. In 1930 National Biscuit Company acquired the business of Shredded Wheat Company, with plants in the United States, Canada and England. National Biscuit Company maintains and operates its own machine shops in which it develops and improves mechanical means to perform all the productive operations. Further economy is achieved through ownership of the National Milling company at Toledo, 0., where a large portion of the flour used by the company is manufactured, and by the manufacture of box-board and cartons by the company's paper board mill and carton factory at Mar seilles, Ill. The company also operates a printing plant at Beacon, N. Y. The company's general offices are in New York City.