Pepperidge Farm was started by a woman. Starting in the 1930s, Margaret Rudkin baked bread and sold the loaves to neighbors. Rudkin started baking bread in hopes her young son, —who was allergic to most commercially processed foods—, could eat it. After many tries, Rudkin was baking the best bread her friends and family had ever eaten. It helped her son's health so much his doctor prescribed the bread to other patients. Rudkin then asked the local grocer if he would sell her bread, and after a taste he quickly agreed. The farm Rudkin was living on was called "Pepperidge Farm" and so the company's name was born. The company quickly grew in order to keep up with the large demand. In 1961, Rudkin sold Pepperidge Farm to the Campbell Soup company and became the first woman to sit on the Campbell Soup Board.

(Photo Credit: Library of Congress)

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