MciIhenny's Gold [Hardcover]

Jeffrey Rothfeder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 2007

In this fascinating history, Jeffrey Rothfeder tells how, from a simple idea-the outgrowth of a handful of peppers planted on an isolated island on the Gulf of Mexico - a secretive family business emerged that would produce one of the best-known products in the world. In short order, McIlhenny's descendants would turn Tabasco into a gold mine and an icon of pop culture, making it as recognisable as far bigger brands such as Coca-Cola and Kleenex.To this day, the McIlhenny Co., still run by a family of matchless characters who believe in a rigid code of family loyalty, clings to tradition and the old ways of doing business. Yet by fiercely protecting its beloved brand and refusing to sell out to big food conglomerates, this family business has run circles around its competitors, churning out annual revenues that have surpassed everyone's expectations. A satisfying read for business buffs, "McIlhenny's Gold" is the untold story of the continuing success of an eccentric, private company; a lively history of one of the most popular consumer products of all times.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This portrait of the eccentric family that brought the world Tabasco sauce isn't exactly hot, but it's certainly flavorful. Rothfeder digs deep into one of the most profitable and oldest family businesses in U.S. history—McIlhenny Co., founded in 1869 on a salt-mine island off Louisiana—and has fun sorting family legend from fact. The early years—including setting up a plantation with workers' housing that remained in operation until only a few years ago—were the company's most eventful. After winning a dubious legal battle to trademark Tabasco, McIlhenny Co. settled in as a sluggish one-product manufacturer relying on word of mouth. So it's a good thing for readers that the McIlhennys have left such colorful and controversial legacies as collectors, conservationists, citizens and especially CEOs. Granted, with its unique circumstances and relatively simple, one-dimensional Tabasco business model, McIlhenny Co. is of little use as a corporate case study, except perhaps as an example of how family ownership can destabilize even a sure thing. Despite the company's ebbing sales and profits even in the midst of a hot-sauce craze, Rothfeder's tale is balanced and always entertaining, and may please at least some of those who shake a few drops of Tabasco on whatever they're eating. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Few other food products are so immediately recognizable as that ubiquitous bottle of Tabasco sauce gracing so many American tables. Attempting to uncover the authentic story of Tabasco, business-historian Rothfeder has his work cut out, thanks to endless confabulation generated over decades by the McIlhenny family. Founder Edward McIlhenny, a Baltimore banker, moved to 1830s New Orleans and ended up with a parcel of swamp whose only use seemed to be to grow pepper plants. Dogged and determined to preserve their trademark, the McIlhenny family drove competition to the ground. After the manner of northern industrialists, the McIlhennys pioneered development of the company town, imposing a controlling, paternalistic, blatantly racist culture. Having made a fortune from Tabasco, they multiplied it with income from salt and oil deposits beneath the pepper plants' roots. Reading this piquant history means you can never again reach for that little bottle without recalling the amazing history fraught within. Knoblauch, Mark

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperBusiness (October 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060721847
• ISBN-13: 978-0060721848
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,168,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good comprehensive history, February 22, 2009

By 

David Hauptman (Chappaqua, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: MciIhenny's Gold (Hardcover)

I enjoyed the book and felt like I got a comprehensive history of the McIlhenny family and how they kept the company going. At some points the book was a bit slow but overall I enjoyed it and glad I read it. As a lover of tabasco sauce, it is a must read although I am not very impressed with the Mcilhenny family based on the facts noted in the book

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read, July 21, 2008

By 

Jamie Crochet "J. Crochet" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: MciIhenny's Gold (Hardcover)

Growing up 2 miles from Avery Island I never knew how famous the area was. Once I grew older and learned the importance of the area, I became very appreciative of the land, and what is produced at the island. I thought this book was very interesting. I know a lot of things about the island but not the old history of the island, and that's what I found to be so interesting. To learn how Edmund invented the sauce, and learning about the different chairman's of the company. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Avery Island and the famous Tabasco sauce.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and great for parties..., March 7, 2011

By 

Jennifer A. Riley - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: McIlhenny's Gold (Kindle Edition)

This book was a remarkable revelation into the world of Tabasco and its origins. Who knew that someone could win a lawsuit of the name of a "species" of a pepper from Mexico? I can say that all hot sauce people and historians would love this book.

I've made my Mecca to the "shrine" of Tabasco at Avery Island, LA where it first was farmed. It was worth my 3 hour drive from my hotel at Ft. Polk, LA during my business travel. I can say - that this book tells far more than even the employees employed there know about the island. If you go there, look for the 3-legged alligator on the preservation. This story is not just a story of a product but the story of a family, a dream and an amazing transformation of a company from the per-Civil War era to Modern Times. Avery Island is full of history, salt, culture and now endangered animal species that all have benefited from the McIlhenny family.

This is definitely worth the read. And I swear, you will find out so many interesting facts -- you won't be able to NOT "show off" your knowledge at parties or even around strangers at the bar drinking a Bloody Mary with Tabasco!