Ahhh…the French’s: the History of Rochester’s Mustard Mongers, pt. 1

If you’re having a cookout this Memorial Day weekend, there’s a good chance that your table (or your host’s) will include an iconic product with Rochester roots—French’s mustard. But mustard is just one of many products that R.T. French Co. brought to the table over the years as a look at the firm’s lengthy history reveals…

^{Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com}

The enterprise’s origins lie with Robert Timothy French. Born in Tompkins County, NY in 1828, R.T. French later relocated to New York City where he entered the spice game.

^{Firm founder Robert T. French. From: Democrat & Chronicle, May 11, 1980.}

He and a partner established their own business in 1880 and were later joined by R.T.’s son George, who took a fateful trip in 1883 that changed the company’s course.

A classic Western New York winter storm that year left George French stranded in Fairport during a visit to a customer, who informed French that the Pure Gold Manufacturing Company was selling its local flour milling operation.

Following a successful inspection, the Frenches, along with a partner by the name of Palmer, purchased the mill and moved to Fairport.

^{A former French’s employee by the historic marker commemorating French’s Fairport location at the southeast corner of North Main Street and Railroad Street. From: French’s A Century of Great Taste,1880-1980.}

The firm had occupied the facility for less than two years when a devastating fire broke out at the mill in February 1885.

^{From: Democrat & Chronicle, February 20, 1885.}

Undeterred, the company then relocated to its second home–a five-story mill in Brown’s Race.

^{R.T. French’s mill at Brown’s Race circa 1900. The High Falls Visitor Center stands on part of the former French’s factory site in 2024. From: City of Rochester Plat Map, 1900.}

While R.T. French was at the helm (partner Palmer left in 1892), the firm dabbled in a wide variety of items ranging from spices and patent medicine to aspirin and fly paper. Following R.T.’s passing in 1893, son George took over as president and another son, Francis, who had trained as a chemist, became head of sales.

^{Brothers George J. and Francis J. French. From: French’s A Century of Great Taste, 1880-1980.}

The French brothers streamlined the firm’s offerings to focus on foodstuffs featuring pure ingredients.

During Francis’ business travels in the late nineteenth century, he became convinced that there was an untapped market for mustard. The condiment had long been a staple in the United Kingdom, but its presence was limited in kitchens across the United States, where mustard flour was largely used for medicinal purposes.

As the picante British version of the condiment had yet to make waves on this side of the pond, Francis ventured that a milder, creamier variety might prove more popular with the American palate.

He mentioned his hypothesis to his brother George, but had apparently forgotten doing so a short while later. While on a business trip in Chicago, Francis received a telegram from George that simply read “Eureka!”, to which Francis replied: “Eureka what?”

To Francis’ surprise and delight, George had taken his suggestion to the firm’s research and development department and in 1904, after several months of trials, they landed on what would become the firm’s signature product: French’s Cream Salad Mustard.

^{Early twentieth century advertisement for French’s Cream Salad Mustard. From: the Collection of the Rochester Public Library’s Local History & Genealogy Division}

Francis peddled the condiment across the country, spending two days in each city he visited. On the first, he would drop off a jar of mustard for potential buyers to try at home. On the second, he returned to invariably take the new converts’ orders.

The mild, yellow sauce was an instant hit, proving especially popular in salad dressings and as a topping for an up-and-coming delicacy called the Daschund Sausage, now better known as the hot dog.

Production soon outpaced the firm’s facility at Brown’s Race and prompted the construction of what would become R.T. French’s iconic headquarters at One Mustard Street in 1911.

^{The expansive R.T. French Co. facility at One Mustard Street. From: French’s A Century of Great Taste, 1880-1980.}

Over the course of the next several decades, the great minds on Mustard Street would develop a host of additional foodstuffs, and further make their mark on American taste buds.

To be continued…

-Emily Morry