Marble Cliff has been the home to many fine businesses over the years, and one of the businesses to locate in the small Village the longest is Instantwhip Foods.
Instantwhip was founded in 1934 when Professor G. Frederick Smith and his brothers, Allyne H. and Clarence, introduced aerosol whipped cream in reusable canisters to the world.
“This incredible convenience turned Instantwhip into a well-recognized name in ice cream parlors, soda fountains and restaurants across the country,” says G. Frederick “Fred” Smith, grandson of Professor Smith and a worker at of Instantwhip since 1993 – the last nine years as president of the company. “To get whipped cream from a metal container was a ‘wonder.’ Users no longer had to beat cream. They just pushed a button!”
Originally located in Columbus on McKinley Avenue, where flooding was always possible – those were the days before the Franklinton flood wall – Instantwhip moved its offices to a larger building at 2200 Cardigan Ave. in 1986.
“Marble Cliff was near our old location and not in a floodplain,” says Tom Michaelides, senior vice president, whose father had worked at the McKinley Avenue plant. “Although this is a large building, no manufacturing has ever taken place here. It’s always been an administrative office.”
For years, the primary business of the privately held company was the manufacture and distribution of stainless steel containers filled with whipped cream. Smith remembers, “They’d put cream in metal cans and deliver them to customers. Then they’d pick up the cans and bring them back to the plant for cleaning, refilling and delivery again.
“But to expand our business into other food products, the company decided to go the franchise route,” Smith says. “We now have Instantwhip Foods franchisees in 10 states that manufacture and distribute far more than whipped cream to the food service industry. Our products are well-known in the food industry, although not the general public, since retail is not generally the market for our products. Instantwhip is one of the largest coffee-creamer manufacturers in the country. Other quality Instantwhip products include dairy-
fresh half and half, cup yogurt, frozen yogurt, sour cream substitutes, table syrup, soft serve custard dairy mix and frozen dessert mix.
“Our Marble Cliff office is where 16 outstanding employees provide accounting, tax, information technology, legal and human resource support and services to our franchisees. Staff longevity averages more than 15 years,” says Smith, citing Michaelides, Bobbie Dildine, Amy Millar, Sandy Hyde and Smith’s brother, Doug, for their long-term service and contributions to the company’s success. “Their knowledge and experience really helps us provide outstanding service despite all the challenges associated with historically high dairy prices and the current regulatory environment. Even cities are getting involved in regulating our industry, making compliance even more complex.”
When asked about the company’s future goals, Smith indicated Instantwhip is always looking for the right acquisitions to grow in food manufacturing, especially along new product lines.
“We’re a food business and are always looking for new directions within the food business,” he says. “Working with such fantastic people and planning for our future keeps me coming to work. We’re a small company that works well with other small companies, like family-operated restaurants, because we are very much alike. I’m proud of our people and franchisees.”
Marble Cliff is proud to have Instantwhip Foods in the community and looks forward to being the home of this fine company for many years to come.
