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Founded by Simon Fribourg in 1813, the company first established itself as a grain trading firm based in Arlon, Belgium and, later, in Antwerp. It grew steadily over the next several decades, taking advantage of an expanding urban population, advances in agriculture, improved railway transportation, and tariff reductions in most European countries. In the 1890's, the company entered the flour milling business, building its first mill in Arlon. During World War I, it moved its offices to London and, in 1919, resumed operations in Antwerp under the name Compagnie Continentale d'Importation. Over the next several years, the company continued to expand its operations in Europe, opening offices in Paris, Rotterdam, Genoa and Bucharest.
| 1921 |
The company sets up its first American office in Chicago, under the name Continental Grain Company. It pays $75 for the first month's rent and purchases a seat on the Chicago Board of Trade for $6,000. In the same year, the company sets up a New York office, at 2 Broadway, which later becomes the firm's world headquarters.
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1928
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Continental purchases its first U.S. grain elevator, in St. Louis. By 1935, it controls seven elevators in the United States through lease or purchase.
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1940
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Following the German invasion of France, the Fribourg family leaves Europe for the United States. Michel Fribourg diverts one of the company's ships to pick up the family in Lisbon.
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1944
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Michel Fribourg becomes Chief Executive Officer at the age of 31. The Company moves its headquarters from Paris to New York.
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1964
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Continental sells one million tons of wheat to the Soviet grain-purchasing agency Exportkhleb, the first major U.S grain sale to the Soviet Union. In 1972, the company makes another major sale to the Russians of 10 million tons of grain.
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1965
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Continental acquires 51% of Allied Mills, a major feed producer as well as a producer of fresh poultry. Allied's first two poultry plants are located at Albertville and Union Springs, Alabama. The acquisition brings the company into livestock production and processing and provides the foundation for the subsequent development of Wayne Farms LLC.
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1970
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The Allied Mills poultry division expands to include four processing plants and three egg production and processing units.
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1975
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Allied Mills acquires Coronado Feeders, the first facility in what would become Continental's Cattle Feeding Division (now part of Five Rivers Ranch Cattle Feed LLC). The cattle feeding business expands with the acquisition of XIT Feeders in 1978, Colorado Beef in 1979, and Grant County Feeders in 1981.
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1978
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The Continental Grain Company Poultry Division acquires its plant in Dobson, North Carolina and begins deboning operations.
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1979
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Continental Grain opens the first foreign-owned feed mill in China in a joint venture with Charoen Pokphand. The new business, Conti Chia Tai International (CCTI) transforms the Chinese feed industry and paves the way for the company's further expansion into China.
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1981
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Allied Mills, Inc. is merged into Continental Grain Company.
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1998
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Continental Grain Company purchases a 51% interest in Premium Standard Farms, one of the largest fully integrated pork producers in the United States.
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1999
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Continental Grain Company completes the sale of its commodity marketing business to Cargill, Inc. and begins operating under the name ContiGroup Companies, Inc. With the sale of this business, the company turns its principal focus to meat proteins.
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| 2000 |
ContiGroup sells its Animal Nutrition Division business to Hubbard Feeds, Inc. of Mankato, Minnesota. |
| 2007 |
ContiGroup sells its Premium Standard Farms pork production operations to Smithfield Foods.
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| 2008 |
ContiGroup Companies, Inc. reassumes the name Continental Grain Company and announces the formation of Arlon Group LLC, a private investment group that invests Continental Grain Company's permanent capital across multiple strategies to create long-term value. |
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