Century Old Companies and Products

Success Secrets of 100-year-old Businesses

Did you know that the potato chip turns 155 years old this year? And did you know that some of today's potato chip producers have been in business well over 100 years? Surprisingly, there are many companies, including manufacturers, retailers, and service businesses, that have surpassed their 100th birthday. At least one company on record is almost 400 years old.

So many small business startups fail within the first 20 years. How does a business survive to be 100 or 400 years old? There are many lessons to be learned from the oldest of the pros.

History of the Potato Chip

As the story goes, the potato chip was first produced in 1853 by a Native American chef, George Crum, at an elegant resort in Saratoga Springs, New York. A dinner guest was unhappy with the thickness of his French fries and returned them. Chef Crum sliced the next order of potato chips thin and the guest loved them.

Crum opened his own restaurant in later years and served potato chips in baskets on every table. The second producer of potato chips, William Tappendon in Cleveland, Ohio, began selling chips in grocery stores in 1895. Mike-Sell's potato chips in Dayton, Ohio calls itself the oldest potato chip company in the United States and started producing in 1910. The potato chip's survival may have something to do with the fact that it is cooked today the same way it was all those years ago -- kettle cooking.

Century Old Companies

The oldest company on record, from Norwell, MA started in 1623. It has been making and selling musical cymbals for 385 years. One of its secrets to survival is that it makes a quality, long-lasting product from a special musical metal alloy -- according to its web site.

One of the oldest mail order catalog companies was opened in 1856 by Charles F. Orvis in Manchester, Vermont. The company sells outdoor clothing, shoes, belts, linen and pet supplies. The company's longevity could easily be accredited to being customer centered and making customer service top priority.

Survival Secrets of the Oldest Companies

Family Business magazine has been researching and reporting on the oldest family-owned businesses since 2002. Its research offers four lessons of survival learned:

• Stay small
• Don't go public
• Stay out of the big cities
• Keep the family business in the family

History is the Best Teacher

What are the secrets to product or business success and longevity? Take the time to really look at these companies or others that have been producing a product or providing a service that sees long-term continued usage or experiences high consumer demand. The few mentioned here all maintain quality and customer service at the heart of it all.