ABOUT

Over 80 years ago China Doll became one of the first packagers of rice and dried beans in consumer sizes. Before that rice and beans were handled from bulk containers. The measuring and sacking of rice using hand scales was usually done by the “free labor” of relatives of the grocery store owner and the cost of packaging was never considered.

The founder of China Doll was farsighted enough to recognize that mass production in individual retail packages would be very advantageous. The idea finally caught on and China Doll was at the forefront of the consumer revolution!

$50 NAMING PRIZE

Realizing that a consumer-friendly name was needed, the company sponsored a contest with a $50 prize for the best brand name suggestion. Since rice was the first product to be packaged there was a natural affinity to reference China. A salesmen suggested “China Doll” and the usage of the doll image.  It was felt that a figure could be associated with the name and would make for good advertising so the brand name was adopted and the salesman duly paid his prize. In 1936 $50 was quite a substantial sum!