Arnold Greenberg (Snapple)
Arnold Shepard Greenberg (September 2, 1932 – October 26, 2012) was an American businessman who co-founded Snapple, a brand of tea and juice drinks, in the 1970s with Leonard Marsh, his former high school classmate, and Hyman Golden, who was Marsh's brother-in-law.[1][2] Greenberg later became the vice president and chief operating officer of the Snapple Corporation and retired after the 1994 acquisition of the brand to Quaker Oats.[1]
Arnold Greenberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | Arnold Shepard Greenberg September 2, 1932 |
| Died | October 26, 2012 New York City, New York, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Co-founder of Snapple |
| Spouse(s) | Marilyn Parmet Roberta Budoff |
| Children | Susan Greenberg Minster Robin Greenberg Nijankin Michael Greenberg |
Early years
Greenberg was born to a Jewish family[3] in 1932 in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in the Brownsville neighborhood.[1] He attended Samuel J. Tilden High School in East Flatbush.[1] His father owned a store in Manhattan's East Village located on First Avenue near St. Mark's Place.[1] The store sold mainstays of the city's traditional Jewish cuisine, including pickles, herring and lox.[1] Arnold Greenberg was running the day-to-day operations of his father's store by the 1950s.[1]
Career
Greenberg changed the business into a health food store in the 1960s as the neighborhood transitioned from largely Jewish into a hippie enclave.[1] In 1972, he partnered with two friends, brothers-in-law Leonard Marsh and Hyman Golden, a classmate from Samuel J. Tilden High School, to launch a new business, Unadulterated Food Products, which would later become known Snapple.[1]
Death
Greenberg died from a long battle with cancer in New York City on October 26, 2012, at the age of 80.[1] He was survived by his second wife, Roberta Budoff; two daughters from his first marriage to his late first wife, Susan Minster and Robin Nijankin; his brother, Herbert; three stepchildren; and fourteen grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Marilyn Parmet, who died in 1993, and their son, Michael Greenberg. A resident of Delray Beach, Florida, Greenberg also kept homes in Southampton, New York and Manhattan.[1]
References
- Fox, Margalit (2012-10-30). "Arnold Greenberg, a Founder of Snapple, Dies at 80". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- Kiger, Patrick (2012-11-01). "Arnold Greenberg: 5 Snappy Facts about Snapple's Co-Founder". AARP blog. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- New York Times: "Ads by Snapple Deride Rumors" September 2, 1993 | "We are three Jewish boys from New York accused of supporting the Ku Klux Klan -- something I despise," Mr. Marsh said. "I can't handle it any more. I support people going against the Ku Klux Klan"