Calumet Baking Powder Company

Calumet Baking Powder Company

Industry	Food manufacturing
Founded	1889 in Chicago, Illinois, United States
Founder	William Monroe Wright
Defunct	1929
Fate	Acquired by General Foods
Successor	General Foods
Headquarters	Chicago , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	William Monroe Wright, George Campbell Rew
Products	Baking powder
Owner	Kraft Heinz (current brand owner)
Parent	Kraft Foods (current)

The Calumet Baking Powder Company was an American enterprise established in 1889 in Chicago, Illinois by William Monroe Wright, specializing in the production of baking powder. It remained an independent entity until its acquisition by General Foods in 1929.

Currently, Calumet exists as a brand under the ownership of Kraft Heinz, with its baking powder manufactured through the Kraft Foods division.

Overview

The name of Wright's double-acting baking powder derived from a colonial-era term referring to a Native American ceremonial pipe associated with the area now known as Calumet City, Illinois. The company’s logo depicted a stylized Plains Indian adorned with a war bonnet. The baking powder formula, created in collaboration with chemist George Campbell Rew, substituted cream of tartar with aluminum phosphate and incorporated dried egg whites to improve product effectiveness.

In 1929, Wright sold the Calumet brand to General Foods, which then incorporated it into their extensive range of products. Proceeds from this transaction enabled Wright to found Calumet Farm, a distinguished horse breeding and training facility located in Lexington, Kentucky, subsequently overseen by his son, Warren Wright, Sr.. Following General Foods’ merger into Kraft Foods Inc. in 1990, Calumet became part of Kraft Foods' portfolio.

Calumet Baking Powder achieved cultural significance when its cans were featured as props in the 1980 film The Shining, an element explored in the 2012 documentary Room 237, which delves into various interpretations of the movie’s symbolism.