The history of the food industry offers many great examples of notable pioneers who innovated in the face of adversity. One such individual is Robert E. Rich, Sr., the founder of Rich Products Corp., based in Buffalo, NY. He was born into a dairy family. His father had stints as a dairyman selling milk, and then running an ice cream plant where young Bob worked during his summers. After graduating from the University at Buffalo in 1935, his father helped him get started in the dairy business. Bob had a strong reputation as an achiever, and he quickly built his milk business into a wholesale leader in the region.
When World War II began, Washington called on Bob to help with the war effort at home, overseeing milk rationing in Michigan. It was then that he learned about the use of soybeans as a dairy analogue. That set him on a path that led to his development of the world’s first commercial nondairy frozen whipped topping, and Rich Products was born.