Breath O’ Pine – 60 YEARS OF HISTORY & INNOVATION1924 – Experimenting with a mix of pine oil and other substances in his family’s Bronx, NY home, chemist Edward J. Kelley discovers a household cleaner capable of removing grease and heavy surface dirt.
1928 – Kelley finalizes a pine oil, soap and surfactant formula; bottles the formula under the trade name No Grit and offers the product for sale in Bronx, NY gas stations.
1931 – Consumers throughout the Bronx delight in No Grit’s cleaning, disinfectant and deodorizing power.
1933 – After receiving countless requests from customers, area grocery and hardware stores approach Edward J. Kelley about carrying No Grit – one of America’s first pine cleaners.
1940 – Edward J. Kelley partners with John T. Farris, Sr. a seasoned businessman and sales executive to market No Grit to New York metropolitan consumers.
1943 – To meet steadily increasing consumer demand and expand distribution, Kelley and Farris form a business in the Bronx named Brondow to manufacture and distribute the product. No Grit is renamed Breath O’ Pine and Farris is named the company’s first President.
1944 – Following consumer requests for a larger size bottle, Brondow markets a new 24-oz economy size Breath O’ Pine alongside the 12-oz original.
1947 – Brondow is incorporated.
1950 – Richard J. Kelley, Sr., son of inventor Edward J. Kelley, named Vice President.
1953 – John T. Farris, Jr. begins his career loading trucks at Brondow, working under his father and Brondow President John T. Farris, Sr.
1954 – To expand distribution and increase sales, Breath O’ Pine launches largest promotional effort in company history with radio, television, newspaper and magazine ads.
1957 – Breath O’ Pine sales approach $1 million with distribution throughout the New York Metro area and into the northeast.
1961 – Breath O’ Pine’s signature glass bottle is changed to new metal can design to keep up with industry packaging trends and minimize manufacturing costs.
1963 – To manage Breath O’ Pine retailer activities and relationships, Brondow hires brokerage firm A .T. Farris & Son, operated by members of the Farris family.
1968 – Outgrowing its Bronx facility, Brondow relocates to Tuckahoe, NY. Richard J. Kelley, Sr. is named President after the death of John T. Farris, Sr.
1977 – Timothy E. Kelley, son of Vice President Richard J. Kelley, Sr. begins his Brondow career working on the manufacturing lines as a teen.
1983 – Richard J. Kelley, Jr, also son of Richard J. Kelley, Sr., begins working at Brondow after leaving his position as production manager at PVC Container.
1986 – Fire destroys Brondow’s Tuckahoe administrative and manufacturing facility.
1987 – Brondow rebuilds and Breath O’ Pine once again rolls off the production lines and into stores and homes throughout the northeast.
1988 –Brondow develops and markets Clean Pine, offering consumers the power and trusted reputation of Breath O’ Pine at value-brand pricing.
1989 – In response to industry trends, Brondow develops and markets Clean and Fresh, a complete line of value-brand multipurpose surface cleaners available in a variety of scents.
1991 – Distribution continues to spread as Breath O’ Pine becomes widely available in the mid-Atlantic and Baltimore/Washington area southward to Richmond.
2002 – After the death of Richard J. Kelley, Sr., Timothy E. Kelley named President.2003 – Breath O’ Pine celebrates its 60-year anniversary, with distribution in nearly 1,400 stores and total sales of 75 million bottles
