The History of Welch’s Grape Jelly

Just a few decades after Ephraim Bull grew the first Concord grapes on his farm in Massachusetts in the mid-1800s, Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch invented grape juice. The drink became famous after it was introduced at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, but Welch didn’t stop there. In 1918, a new grape jam called Grapelade was invented by Welch's and sent overseas to help feed U.S. Army soldiers fighting in World War I. When soldiers returned home, they clamored for more Grapelade, and Welch’s answered the demand with the commercial debut of Welch’s Grape Jelly in 1923. From there, the jelly grew in popularity and became an integral part of PB&J sandwiches, which were created during World War II and became popular during the postwar period in America. Today, grape jelly remains popular and many more manufacturers have joined Welch’s in producing their own brands of the beloved jelly, which is widely available all across the country.