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Salesman’s Sample Box

Sales Sample Box
Salesman’s Sample Box

From its beginning the Rumford Baking Powder Co. created a large sales organization extending across the country and the world. This country was divided into regions with traveling salesmen going door to door to the then small neighborhood markets carrying with them sample cases (as in the photo) containing sample sizes of Baking Powder cans. Sales and use of the products were tracked by a division which conducted a coupon business. Coupons were included in the the cans. Catalogs were issued to markets from which the customers could select something – usually a cooking utensil or cookbook. The customer would then send to the Rumford Co. for redemption. The company could in that way determine where their product was being used the most.

Salesmen were located throughout the world from Japan to Australia and across Europe. These coupon items and cookbooklets are very collectible today, particularly items with packaging printed in a foreign language. Sweden used baking powder in such quantity that the Rumford Co. bent to their demand and created 3/4 ounce cans. A baker could use up the small can quickly and not have the loss of rising power prevalent in a large can which was continually being opened for use.