Newman’s Own started out as an inside joke between Paul Newman and friend and writer AE Hotchner, who would tease Newman for calling late at night just to ‘talk about salad dressing’. They began making batches for holiday gifts. To date, over $500 million has gone to charities.

Inside the Family Battle for the Newman’s Own Brand Name

The first clue something was wrong was the change in the label.

It was still playful and lighthearted, radiating a message of goodness and giving on the packages of food products sold by Newman’s Own Organics, the all-organic spin-off of Newman’s Own specialty foods. The old label had pictured movie star Paul Newman in an American Gothic pose beside his daughter Nell, who had co-founded and run Newman’s Own Organics alongside her father’s larger company. Blonde and beautiful, with her father’s famously striking blue eyes, Nell shared his love of food, philanthropy, and the outdoors. So it was strange when, earlier this year, her image went missing from the labels on the packaging of her company’s organic pretzels, Fig Newmans, and more … Continue Reading (5 minute read)