Walter Baker & Company
John Hannon and physician Dr. James Baker began importing cocoa beans and making chocolate in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1765. Dr. Baker bought and renamed it the Baker Chocolate Company in 1780, and his first product was a cake of chocolate for making a sweet drink. The family continued to expand distribution, and by 1849 under Walter Baker, the brand had spread nationally and production increased throughout the century. The Baker family sold it in 1896 to companies that eventually became General Foods and Kraft foods. It is one of the largest national brands of chocolate in the U.S.
