Coming just two decades after the last great global conflict, the Second World War was the most widespread and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries and resulting in more than 50 million military and civilian deaths (with some estimates as high as 85 million dead).
Myths were melting away, and doubt was turning into demand. By 1975, sales of microwave ovens would, for the first time, exceed that of gas ranges. The following year, a reported 17% of all homes in Japan were doing their cooking by microwaves, compared with 4% of the homes in the United States the same year.
One day, he encountered a salesman in St. Louis who was selling boxes of pasta with bags of grated cheese attached to it with a rubber band, and had one of those âlight bulbâ moments. In 1937, Kraft was the first to sell boxed macaroni and cheese, and it became an instant hit. The reasons behind the blue boxâs success are manifold. It was the height of the great depression and the product was inexpensive, and its shelf life of 10 months was certainly attractive in a time when not everyone had refrigerators.