The History of Folgers Coffee

In 1850, at the age of 14, James A. Folger traveled from Nantucket to San Francisco after a fire destroyed his family’s livelihood. There, he began working at William H. Bovee’s Pioneer Steam Coffee and Spice Mills. By 1859, he had become a partner in the company. Although the venture went bankrupt in the aftermath of the Civil War, Folger was able to get creditors to pay off the company’s debts. He then bought out the other partners and reorganized the company under the name J.A. Folger & Co. Folger slowly made a name for his business in the coffee world and in 1900, Folgers salesman Frank P. Atha convinced grocers in eastern states to stock Folgers coffee, expanding the company's reach beyond the West Coast where it began. Fittingly, the company’s first hit blend was called Folger’s Golden Gate. Shortly after it was inaugurated, J.A. Folger & Co.’s building survived the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 and gave out free coffee to those trying to rebuild after the disaster. In 1949, the company ran ads promoting Folgers iced coffee. In the 1960s, operations moved to New Orleans, and in 1984, the company debuted its now-famous advertising jingle, “The Best Part of Wakin’ Up Is Folgers in Your Cup.” In 2005, Folgers pitched in on relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In 2008, Folgers became part of the The J.M. Smucker Co. family of brands. In 2023, the brand’s Black Silk blend topped a blind taste test of grocery store coffees, cementing its staying power and popularity. Today, Folgers remains one of the most recognizable coffee brands and is a staple on grocery store shelves all across America.