Bagley (company)
| Company type | Sociedad anónima |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food manufacturing |
| Founded | 1864 in Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Founder | Melville Sewell Bagley |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
Area served | Argentina |
| Products | Crackers, cookies (brands include Chocolinas, Rumba, Criollitas, Opera, Sonrisas) |
| Owner | Danone (91% stake as of 1999) |
| Parent | Danone |
Bagley Argentina S.A. is a food manufacturer based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Established in 1864 by American-born businessman Melville Sewell Bagley, the company initially focused on producing crackers and cookies. Since 1994, it has been under the ownership of the French multinational corporation Danone. At the time of acquisition, Bagley was recognized as Argentina's foremost cookie manufacturer.[1] Currently, certain brands such as Chocolinas, Rumba, and Criollitas are distributed by Arcor,[2] which collaborates with Danone in cookie production within Argentina.[3]
History
The company was founded in Buenos Aires in 1864 by Melville Sewell Bagley, an American entrepreneur who had emigrated during the American Civil War. Initially, Bagley introduced the aperitif Hesperidina, a digestive drink made from oranges. Before relocating to Argentina, Bagley was engaged in the dry goods trade in New Orleans.[4]
Bagley ventured into the food sector in 1875 following a customs exemption that permitted the importation of machinery. Its inaugural biscuit, Lola, quickly gained popularity and was even utilized in hospitals.[5] After Melville Bagley's passing in 1880, his widow Mary Hamilton took over company management. The firm incorporated as a sociedad anónima in 1901, broadening its production line and releasing well-known cookies including Mitre, Variedad, Tertulia, and Soda.[6]
In 1908, Bagley became the first Argentine company to produce wafers with its Opera product, coinciding with the reopening of Teatro Colón. From 1924 onward, the company diversified into products such as preserved foods, vinegar, and desserts like Jelina. It also provided employee benefits ahead of legal mandates.[6]
The introduction of Criollitas crackers in 1943 signified a transition from selling loose biscuits to packaged goods.[5] Throughout the 1960s, Bagley expanded its biscuit offerings with filled varieties like Merengadas and Sonrisas, alongside chocolate-flavored favorites such as Rumba and later Chocolinas (1975), which became emblematic products.[5]
During the 1980s, the company launched premium biscuits including Tentaciones (1985). In 1994, French multinational Danone acquired Bagley, eventually increasing its ownership stake to 91% by 1999.[7]
By 2003, Arcor reported revenues totaling US$800 million and employed approximately 13,000 people. The following year, Arcor entered into a partnership with Danone to operate Bagley's cookie division—Arcor holding a 51% share and Danone 49%—forming South America's largest cookie producer with annual sales near US$300 million and output around 385,000 tons across Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.[1][8]
In 2004, Bagley sold the rights to its Hesperidina brand to "Tres Blasones," which continued production until it was acquired by "Grupo Cepas S.A." in 2018.[9]
When Kraft Foods purchased most of Danone's biscuit operations in 2007, Danone maintained its equity interest in Bagley.[3]
In 2019, Bagley together with Grupo Arcor acquired a combined 43% stake in Mastellone Hermanos—the leading dairy company in Argentina—thereby reinforcing their position within the market.[10]
Products and brands
The company is widely recognized for its extensive assortment of cookies and crackers, with prominent labels including Criollitas, Rumba, Opera, Sonrisas, and Chocolinas.
Its product range comprises:
| Brand | Description |
|---|---|
| Amor | Cream-filled vanilla-flavored biscuit |
| Blanco y Negro | Alfajor |
| Chocolinas | Biscuit with chocolate flavor |
| Kesitas | Snack |
| Mellizas | Vanilla biscuit with lemon paste filling |
| Merengadas | Vanilla biscuit filled with strawberry paste |
| Opera | Wafer |
| Rex | Snack |
| Rumba | Chocolate biscuit containing cream filling |
| Traviata | Cracker |
In popular culture
The chocotorta, a traditional Argentine chocolate cake, prominently features Chocolinas biscuits as its primary component. Invented in 1982 by advertising expert Marité Mabragaña, this dessert blends dulce de leche and cream cheese, ingredients connected to her experience in the dairy industry, creating a signature Argentine treat.
The chocotorta’s popularity was boosted by a television advertisement showcasing Bagley's Chocolinas alongside Osvaldo Mendizábal's Mendicrim cream cheese brand, prompting Bagley to include the recipe on the packaging of Chocolinas biscuits.
In 2020, TasteAtlas awarded the chocotorta the title of "best dessert in the world" based on a user poll. The platform emphasized its origins linked to Italian cuisine, specifically inspired by tiramisu, and its incorporation of three quintessential Argentine ingredients: chocolate cookies, dulce de leche, and cream cheese. It was ranked above other renowned desserts such as the Belgian waffle and Hungarian zserbó.
In 1973, the guerrilla faction Montoneros executed union leader José Ignacio Rucci in an operation dubbed Operación Traviata. This name referenced Bagley’s well-known cracker, marketed as "the 23-hole cracker," symbolizing the number of gunshots—23—that resulted in Rucci’s death.
See also
External links
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