The Great Depression was an unlikely time to start a business, but that didn’t stop Oather “O.D.” McKee and his wife, Ruth. The couple made oatmeal cookies at their small shop in Chattanooga and, in the mid-1930s, were looking for a way to keep the cookies moist. That’s when O.D. had the idea to put cream between two cookies to keep them soft, according to the company’s history at LittleDebbie.com. The Oatmeal Creme Pie was born but it would be many years before they were sold under the iconic brand Little Debbie.
O.D. sold the pies for 5 cents each, making them an affordable and filling snack for those with very little money. They were a hit.
Vintage packaging Oatmeal Creme PiesMcKee Foods Corp.
Ruth McKee had an active role in running the company, which was unusual for women at the time, according to McKee Foods spokesman Mike Gloekler.
“Ruth McKee was very active in the day-to-day operations. Of course, it was quite unusual for women to be so involved in business operations at that time,” Gloekler said. “While O.D. spent his days on the road building sales, it was Ruth who was purchaser, accountant, human resources, dispatcher… she had her hand in everything under the sun, all while raising children, too.”
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Wedding photo of O.D. and Ruth McKee, founders of the Little Debbie brand.McKee Foods Corp.
In 1957, the company built a plant in Collegedale, Tenn., to manufacture a variety of individual snack cakes and, in 1960, the company developed the very first “family pack,” a box of “12 or more cellophane-wrapped cakes,” the McKee Foods website says.
“The price of the new 12-count family pack carton was 49¢,” the site said.
That was also the first year the treats were marketed with the name Little Debbie. The idea was an immediate success.
Who is Little Debbie?
According to an episode of the show “The Foods That Built America,” a marketing expert named Bob Mosher suggested the McKees develop a brand name for the snack cake line and to create a colorful logo. The couple began listing the names of their grandchildren. Mosher dismissed the first names as not right. Then the McKees mentioned their granddaughter, “Little Debbie.”
Little Debbie McKeeMcKee Foods Corp.
The portrait of Little Debbie that was used to create the logo was painted by artist Pearl Mann. “Pearl Mann's illustrations were very popular in the 1950s and 1960s, but none of her best-known works are as recognizable and enduring as the Little Debbie portrait,” the website says. “Although the portrait has been modified slightly through the years, it endures to this day and is seen by millions of shoppers and snackers daily.”
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According to Gloekler, Debbie’s mother, Sharon, purchased photo sessions from Olan Mills, a well-known Chattanooga company. “She told Debbie that if she was a good girl for the photo sessions, she could pick her own outfit for the final sitting,” he said. “Debbie chose her ‘cowgirl outfit.’ This is the photo that launched the brand. You’ll notice the crease in her cowgirl hat. That is duplicated in the packaging art. The story goes that there was an errant sitting on the hat, and that is the source of the crease. The framed original cowgirl outfit still hangs in our corporate offices in Debbie’s father’s, Ellsworth McKee, former office.”
Little Debbie today
Ruth McKee’s active role in the company “would very much shape Debbie’s own career as she had a very close and special bond with her grandmother,” Gloekler said.
Today, Debbie McKee Fowler is one of four third-generation owners actively involved in McKee Foods, including her brother Rusty and her cousins, Mike and Chris.
Debbie McKee-FowlerMcKee Foods Corp.
A timeline of treats
1959
Nutty Buddy Bars: These crunchy wafers dipped in chocolate were originally called Nutty Bars.
1962
Swiss Cake Rolls: O.D. McKee got the idea for these popular treats when he traveled to a trade show in Europe. It is a miniature version of a “roulade.”
1966
Strawberry Shortcake Rolls: This treat was originally called Jelly Rolls and the tops were sprinkled with sugar. The name didn’t change until 1994.
1969
Fudge Brownies: These snacks have English walnuts baked in.
1970
Star Crunch Snacks: These were originally called Moon Crunch Snacks. They were introduced to celebrate the 1969 moon landing. The nae was changed in 1972.
1972
Devil Squares: These chocolate treats have always been popular but ut wasn’t until 2015 that the fudge stripes were added.
Fudge Rounds: According to the Little Debbie online history: “Cliff Dildy, a McKee Foods employee and product innovator in his own right, came up with the idea for this timeless treat.”
1977
Peanut Butter Crunch: Originally called Penut Butter Bars, these treats are still available in stores.
1983
Donut Sticks: Originally called Dunk’em Sticks, these snacks are like rectangle donuts without the hole.
1985
Christmas Tree Cakes: The online history says: “Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes are one of the most iconic snacks around. Do you remember their original triangular shape and chocolate trunk? Even though the classic scalloped tree shape wasn’t introduced until 2012, nothing says ‘Christmastime’ quite like these festive treats!”
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