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In the early 1870s, Friedrich Georg Strohmeyer came to America from Bremen, Germany and started working as a leather merchant. He advanced rapidly in business as soon became involved in the importation of peat moss, which was commonly used as bedding for New York City's thousands of horses. He prospered so well that in 1882 he was able to form a new company with his first employee, Hermann Arpe. Several years later, needing a bigger place to house their growing venture, Strohmeyer himself designed and built a ten-story building at the corner of Franklin Street and West Broadway in downtown New York City, an historic structure that stands there still.

Seeking opportunities for montan wax, the carbonized by-product of peat moss, Strohmeyer recognized that a person working on the newly invented typewriter needed a way to make copies. He suggested using the carbon-filled wax as the key ingredient for a copying product that became known as carbon paper. Within a short time, the company was named North America's exclusive importer of Romonta crude montan wax from Germany. This eventually led to the importing of other "natural" waxes, such as beeswax, carnauba, candelilla, ouricouri and Japan wax -- all of which S&A introduced for use in an extremely wide range of modern industrial applications.

Following World War I, a new partner came on board. Col. Gustav Porges -- fresh from his assignment as General "Black Jack" Pershing's chief food procurement officer -- joined S&A to create and develop a line of quality food products. Under his guidance, we soon became the country's first major importer of Portuguese anchovies, Japanese crab meat, and Norwegian brisling sardines -- as well as the first packager of imported olive oil. The importation of honey, another new product category, followed in 1981.

Today, Strohmeyer & Arpe, together with our sister firm C.M. Goettsche, remains the exclusive importer of montan wax and a major source of other natural waxes and bulk honey -- as well as the supplier of Kings Pantry and private label canned fruits, vegetables and seafood to America's leading food chains.

From the time we were founded in New York, to the dawning of the 21st century at our current headquarters in Short Hills, New Jersey, Strohmeyer & Arpe's mission has been to supply the highest quality products at prices and in quantities that assure value and profitability to all our customers.

 
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