Clinton Foods Inc. - Hi-C - Specimen Stock Certificate

Specimen Stock printed by American Bank Note Company. Niles Foster, who previously owned a bakery and a bottling plant, established Hi-C in 1946. It took him more than a year to perfect the formula for Hi-C orange drink, which includes orange juice concentrate, peel oil, orange essences, sugar, water, citric acid, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). The name "Hi-C" was chosen to highlight its high vitamin content. The drink was packaged in 56-ounce (1.66 L) cans that were enamel-lined, allowing it to be stored without refrigeration until opened. Following a test marketing phase in 1947, Hi-C orange drink was officially launched in 1948, supported by an extensive promotional campaign that involved significant weekly expenditures in each market. Foster partnered with Clinton Foods, Inc. to produce and market Hi-C, while he oversaw the brand's operations.

As Hi-C gained popularity, it caught the interest of the Minute Maid Corporation. In 1954, Clinton Foods, Inc. sold its Florida assets, including Hi-C fruit drinks, to Minute Maid. Shortly after this acquisition, Niles Foster departed from the Minute Maid Corporation. George Roberts, who had served as assistant sales manager to Foster during Hi-C's launch, remained with the company, initially as National Sales Manager for Hi-C and later as Director of Contract Packer Operations for Coca-Cola Foods Division in Houston, Texas. He played a crucial role in the effective marketing, promotion, and distribution of Hi-C. The brand continued to grow, introducing new flavors such as orange-pineapple, pineapple-grapefruit, Florida Punch, and peach, along with innovative marketing strategies. By 1958, Hi-C fruit drinks had become a common item in American supermarkets, found in grocery stores across the country.