WAUVernellsButtermintsPHColl1498.xml Guide to the Vernell's Butter Mints Photograph and Ephemera Album between 1953 and 1956 Vernell's Butter Mints Photograph and Ephemera Album Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2018 (Last modified: 1/31/2020)
Seattle, WA 98195
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections PH1498 Vernell's Buttermints, Inc Vernell's Buttermints photograph and ephemera album between 1953 and 1956 1 album with photographs and ephemeral materials (1 box) Collection materials are in English. Photographs and ephemeral materials showing factory production, packaging, and promotional materials for the Vernell's Buttermints products made in Seattle, Washington

The Vernell's Fine Candies was founded in 1947 by Vern and Eleanor Fortin using a treasured family butter mint recipe. The company expanded to include both an office at 1825 Westlake Ave in Seattle, and another in Bellevue, Washington. A branch office opened later in Chicago, Illinois. The buttermints were sold in stores nation-wide, and, eventually, Vernell's became the largest butter mint manufacturer in the world. Vern Fortin and his father-in-law, Lloyd Mitchell, also founded Quality Food Centers (QFC) in 1955.

The United States Armed Forces tested the product for military use for six months, and determined that "Vernell's real ButterMints held up remarkably well for 6 months at 100' Fahrenheit." The four-color package of the famed buttermint candy was patterned after the K ration wrap of WWII. The packaging consisted of two sheets of cellophane, laminated with beeswax, which, combined with heat sealing, produced a moisture proof, temperature resistant package. In 1950, Vernells packaged their Butter Mints for the Camp Fire Girls, giving them a 3% royalty on the sales at wholesale price. Vernell's advertised in Life Magazine, as shown by the box stating "As Advertised in LIFE" found on many of their products and advertisements. They also advertised in The Saturday Evening Post and Good Housekeeping magazines, as well as in newpapers and on the radio.

Based on information in this collection, John M. Piper was the General Sales Manager of Vernell's Buttermints, Inc., and Park E. Westover was probably head of marketing. Other sources indicate that L.H. Fortin was the president of the company, P.E. Westover was a Vice President and the Secretary, and L.C. Mitchel was the Vice President and Treasurer.

In 1991, Vernell's Fine Candies confirmed their intention to sell a large part of the business to E. J. Brach Corporation. Brach Corporation was later sold to Farley's and Sathers Candy Company.

The album pages contain 34 photographs and 26 separate ephemeral materials, which feature information on factory production, packaging, ordering, and promotional materials for the Vernell's Butter Mints products made in Seattle and Bellevue, Washington. The album appears to have been a sales aid to providing information for potential retailers of the product. It could also have been a training tool for a new sales person. In addition to the photographs of the candy and the facilities, there are samples of internal memos, sales and demonstration tracking information, and customer pricing information. Additionally, there are samples of reminders for customers to place orders. All of this information compiled in one location would be an excellent sales-aid for a new employee as they learn the ropes of this exciting candy company in the 1950s.

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Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.

Source: Fairlook Antiques, August 3, 2010.

Processed by Elizabeth Korsmo, 2017; Jean Hannah, 2018.

Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington) Advertising and Marketing Foods and Nutrition

 

Vernell's ButterMints Company Album 1 1a Photograph of display box containing packages of Vernell's Butter Mints, with one box showcased outside of the display box between 1953 and 1956 1 1b Photograph of a candy dish heaped with ButterMints between 1953 and 1956 2 2a Photograph of a package of ButterMints behind a double leaf candy dish heaped with ButterMints between 1953 and 1956 2 2b Photograph of a drawing of a package of ButterMints between 1953 and 1956

This item could possibly be an altered photograph rather than a drawing.

 3 3 Photograph of an architectural drawing of Vernell's ButterMints company office building between 1953 and 1956 4 4 Photograph of a promotional drawing of a girls head with the face partially obscured by a mint leaf, and wearing a crown of mint leaves between 1953 and 1956 5 5a-b Photograph of possibly Mr. Westover showing another gentleman a Vernell's ButterMints add in the business office overlooking Lake Union between 1953 and 1956

Written below the two photographs on the page: "View from private offices" "Plant located just across Westlake Ave From Lake Union".

 6 6a-b Photograph of a group of people, including L.H. Fortin, P.E. Westover and L. C. Mitchell, at what is possibly a company luncheon between 1953 and 1956 7 7a Photograph of employees working with candy on long tables, and at the cooking kettles between 1953 and 1956 7 7b Photograph of factory workers on the lower factory floor between 1953 and 1956 8 8a Photograph of factory workers at the kettles and the spinners between 1953 and 1956

From accompanying material: Spinners and cutters. After candy is cut it is blown by compressed air to belt cooler.

 8 8b Photograph of factory workers feeding candy into Handsell Batch Formers between 1953 and 1956

From accompanying material: Spinners and cutters. After candy is cut it is blown by compressed air to belt cooler.

 9 9a Photograph of female factory workers in the packaging department between 1953 and 1956

Writing below the picture: "Pkg Dept Equipment increased 50% since this photo."

9 9b Photograph of factory workers using what are probably spinners between 1953 and 1956 10 10 Photograph of the air conditioned cooling room highlighting a conveyor belt and racks with filled with loose candy between 1953 and 1956

From accompanying material: Air conditioned cooling room. Thirty inch neoprene belt, approximately thirteen hundred feet long.

 11 11 Photograph of the stainless steel, steam jacketed kettles on the cooking platform between 1953 and 1956

From accompanying material: Cooking platform - there are six stainless steel steam jacketed kettles.

 12 12 Blank page 13 13 Photograph of machinery below the cooking platform between 1953 and 1956

From accompanying material: Below and behind cooking platform, showing tracks for water cooled slabs with automatic hose reels.

 14 14 Photograph of a female factory worker in the packaging department working at a packaging machine between 1953 and 1956

From accompanying material: Since this picture was taken, we have added another Campbell Wrapping machine with switch track to use either machine.

 15 15 Photograph of a man working with pumps and valves between 1953 and 1956

From accompanying material: Corn syrup and liquid sugar storage tanks showing pumps that deliver syrup and sugar to cooking kettles.

 16 16 Blank page 17 17 Photograph of an unfolded Vernell's ButterMints box between 1953 and 1956 18 18a Photograph of display box containing twelve packages of Vernell's ButterMints, with one box showcased outside of the display box between 1953 and 1956

This item appears to be a smaller version of item 21.

 18 18b Photograph of a Vernell's display box containing packages of Vernell's ButterMints in a store's candy aisle between 1953 and 1956 19 19 Photograph of a package of Vernell's ButterMints between 1953 and 1956

This item appears to be a smaller version of item 20.

 20 20 Photograph of a package of Vernell's ButterMints between 1953 and 1956

This item appears to be a larger version of item 19.

 21 21 Photograph of display box containing twelve packages of Vernell's ButterMints, with one bag of mints showcased outside of the display box between 1953 and 1956

This item appears to be a larger version of item 18a.

 22 22 Photograph of a Northwest Freight Lines truck bearing a Vernell's Buttermint Advertisement between 1953 and 1956

Truck is parked in front of what is possibly Vernell's Seattle factory under the Fresh ButterMints Vernell's Fine Candies building sign.

 23 23 Portrait of Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Park E. Westover, and Mr. Fortin between 1953 and 1956

The Mr. Fortin pictured is probably Mr. Vern Fortin, the co-founder and owner of Vernell's ButterMints, Inc. The Mr. Mitchell pictured is probably father-in-law to Mr. Fortin as well as co-founder and owner. It is probable that Mr. Westover was head of marketing.

 24 24a-25b Photographs of grocery store displays of Vernell's ButterMints between 1953 and 1956 26 26a Vernell's ButterMints advertisement with a green and yellow background with green and neon red writing and a gray ButterMints package between 1953 and 1956

The advertisement is seven inches wide and five and one half inches long with a machine pressed pre-fold line at three and seven sixteenth inches.

 26 26b Vernell's ButterMints recipe folder with a white and pink background, green and red writing, a ButterMints package, a young girl's face and a mint leaf on front between 1953 and 1956

The recipe folder is five inches wide and three and one half inches high folded, but about twenty four and three quarters inches wide all the way open. There are five recipes in the booklet (Butter Mint Ice Cream Pie, Pineapple Mint Sauce, Golden Mint Reception Punch, Deluxe Hot Chocolate and Choco-Mint Fluff Frosting) along with nine "Jiffy Hints" for quickly enhancing recipes with ButterMints (Mint Chocolate Pudding, Cherry Mint Whipped Cream Topping, Pink Peppermint Ice Cream, Chocolate Mint Fudge, Chocolate Mint Sauce, Minted Whipped Cream, Minted Chocolate Pudding, Minted Sherbet, Minted Fruit).

 27 27 Cardboard Vernell's ButterMints advertisement with a green and yellow background with green and neon red writing and a gray ButterMints package between 1953 and 1956

This cardboard advertisement is thirteen and three quarters inches wide and six and three quarters inches long.

 28 28a Vernell's ButterMints Christmas advertisement with a green and red background, white, green and red writing, a Santa Claus, and a green and white ButterMints package inside of a Christmas stocking between 1953 and 1956

The advertisement is seven inches wide and five and one half inches long with a machine pressed pre-fold line at three and one half inches long.

 28 28b Black and white Vernell's ButterMints advertising campaign announcement shows association with Irwin Caplan 1956

The announcement shows the new campaign slogan, four of Irwin Caplan's Vernell's ButterMint cartoons, a photo of Caplan attached to a cartoon body, and an explanation of why he was chosen for the campaign. Irwin Caplan, known as "Cap", was a Seattle based cartoonist, who had a nationwide readership. He was best known as the creator of The Saturday Evening Post cartoon series, Famous Last Words, though he was published in many other publications such as Esquire and Look. The advertisement is eight and three eights inches wide and six and one half inches long.

 29 29a Vernell's ButterMints yellow trifold marketing pamphlet directed at wholesalers between 1953 and 1956

The pamphlet explains why wholesalers should sell the mints at their establishments. The advertisement is sixteen and three quarters inches wide and eight and one half inches long.

 29 29b Vernell's ButterMints wholesalers white order card between 1953 and 1956

The order card is five and one half inches wide and three and one quarter inches long.

 30 30a Vernell's ButterMints advertisement with a yellow background and black writing surrounding a ButterMints package between 1953 and 1956

The advertisement emphasizes that Vernell's advertises not only in LIFE, but also in The Saturday Evening Post and Good Housekeeping. The advertisement is sixteen and three quarters inches wide and eight and inches long.

 30 30b Vernell's ButterMints advertisement emphasizing The "Milshige Mint" Treat between 1953 and 1956

The word Milshige is probably a different spelling of the German and Yiddish word milchige which means milky. The advertisement is sixteen and three quarters inches wide and eight inches long.

 31 31a Vernell's ButterMints advertisement with a yellow background showing a young boy holding a knife and fork in front of his plate between 1953 and 1956

The advertisement is sixteen inches wide and seven inches long.

 31 31b Small stereotype (also known as cliche or stereoplate) of Vernell's ButterMints surrounded by an address between 1953 and 1956

The stereotype (also cliche or stereoplate) printing plate was widely used in letterpress, newspaper, and other high-speed press runs. Stereotypes are made by locking the type columns, illustration plates, and advertising plates of a complete newspaper page in a form and molding a matrix, or mat, of papier-mâché or similar material to it; the dried mat is used as a mold to cast the stereotype from hot metal.

32 32 Advertisement with a yellow background and writing in browns and reds introducing Vernell's Chocolate ButterMints 1956

The advertisement is fifteen and three quarters inches wide and six and three quarters inches long.

 33 33 Page three of a memo signed by General Sales Manager Jon Piper between 1953 and 1956

The memo extolls the merchandising, packaging, and freshness coding of Vernell's ButterMints

 34 34 Green paper bulletin directed at employees who will be demonstrating and selling the Vernell's ButterMints in retail stores between 1953 and 1956 35 35 A blank copy of a Demonstration Report printed on green paper between 1953 and 1956

The Demonstration Report is to be filled out by the sales demonstrator. It reports on data relating to retail store, advertising, sales, sample credits, salary, and personal data of the salesperson.

 36 36 Two page Vernell's ButterMints company bulletin edited by John Piper June 1956

The bulletin is directed at the sales force. It includes hints and techniques for increasing sales as well congratulatory messages.

 37 37 Vernell's ButterMints fact sheet to help sales people win more Campfire Girls accounts between 1953 and 1956 38 38 Vernell's ButterMints advertisement and order sheet printed on green paper between 1953 and 1956 39 39 Vernell's ButterMints advertisement directed at wholesalers reminding that sales aids such as dump bins and mats can be requested between 1953 and 1956 40 40 Vernell's ButterMints wholesaler's price list including payment terms printed on green paper between 1953 and 1956 41 41 Description of the dating code used on Vernell's ButterMints packaging between 1953 and 1956 42 42 Blank copy of a sales tracking sheet for an individual salesperson between 1953 and 1956 43 43 Memo to all sales brokers from John Piper June 27, 1956

The memo reminds brokers that pre-priced stock is available in all warehouses and encourages the brokers to push this merchandise

 44 44 Vernell's company letter from Park Westover announcing chocolate ButterMints and promising samples August 24, 1956

This letter to the company is probably directed primarily to the sales force.

 45 45 Memo from John M. Piper clarifying points of the new chocolate ButterMints between 1953 and 1956

Memo focuses on case price, advertising, suggested retail pricing, and ordering tips.

 46 46 A new product announcement for Vernell's real chocolate ButterMints printed on yellow paper. between 1953 and 1956