Auggie started his supply business out of the basement and
garage on West Fremont Street, providing snacks for taverns.
He bought an old popcorn machine, made the popcorn at home
and bagged it, then delivered it to customers. From popcorn,
he expanded to potato chips and pretzels. Then came the
finer line of bar snacks at that time: pigs feet, pork
hocks, ocean minnies, sardines and anchovies.
As taverns expanded their services from bars into lunches
and sandwiches, DuPage Supply, as the company was known
then, expanded to sell relishes, pickles, condiments,
olives, cherries, corn oil, and vinegar. Auggie's sons,
Ralph and Bud, became involved in the business during after
school hours. They were using old bottles and washing them
out so that pickles could be packed into gallon jars from
the large barrels. Labels for the jars were made at home.
As soon as they were old enough, the brothers were
delivering in the trucks after school. The first company
truck was a 1935 Studebaker Hearse, complete with the
curtains in the windows and the rollers in the rear. The
second company truck had a trailer made at home by Auggie.
Emma Schweppe (Auggie's wife), who still regularly helps in
the office, remembers raising chickens when she and August
married in 1928. Everyone did what they could to support a
family then. Since there were no large grocery stores, they
found a growing market for all sorts of food items needed by
taverns and small restaurants.
In time, DuPage Supply expanded rapidly. After outgrowing
the basement in the thirties, the company moved six times to
accommodate growth, and now serves customers from modern
facilities in Lombard, Illinois.
Today, Schweppe Inc. serves more than 35,000 customers.
Auggie's grandson, Jeff Schweppe, is now President. His
son, Ralph, is chairman and chief executive. A second
grandson,
Randy, is manager of equipment sales and corporate
secretary. And a second son, Bud Schweppe, created a separate
company, Schweppe UEQ, to sell refurbished used equipment.
Auggie's wife, Emma Schweppe, still comes into the
office most days.
In over 65 years since DuPage Supply Company began, it has
grown into one of the most prominent food services companies
in the Midwest, with over $15 million in sales. One decision
that shaped the company was to open a walk-in store in the
1960s. Schweppe's walk-in business has grown to about a
third of sales today.
But through it all, one
thing hasn't changed: Schweppe's
commitment to growing with our customers. We work with you
to make sure we're offering exactly what you need. Whether
you need one big pot or a whole operation redesign, our
tradition of quality really shows.
In fact, our real job
isn't selling you equipment. It's making your business
more profitable. Just ask some of our customers. They
come back again and again just for that reason.
John Karwoski's grandfather
- and founder of John's Buffet in
Winfield - began ordering supplies from August Schweppe. Karwoski, a third-generation "John" who now runs John's
Buffet tavern and restaurant, still orders supplies from
Schweppe. He recently worked with the company for a major
kitchen remodeling project.
