The National Dairy Products Corporation was incorporated in 1923, formed out of two of the largest dairy and ice cream manufacturers in the U.S.: Pittsburgh's Reick-McJunkin Dairy Company and Chicago's Hydrox Corporation. In 1926, the company operated in 13 states across America.
Demand for its products soared during wartime years. In 1944, the company delivered 48 million quarts of milk, 8.5 million gallons of ice cream, and 101 million pounds of cheese to the United States government.
In 1930, National Dairy Products Corporation bought Kraft-Phenix Cheese. The combined companies went through several name changes together. By 1969, Kraft's brand strength ate National Dairy, and the company became known as Kraftco.
Last year, Kraft split again, separating its international snack business from its U.S.-based grocery products division, including loud orange cheese-type foods such as Velveeta that harken back to the company's dairy product origins.
Wal-Mart retook the top spot, Berkshire Hathaway made the top five, and Apple grew enormously.
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