International lcon Celebrates 500 Billion Packets! (NAPSA)—Whatis tall enough to scale the Empire State Building 71 million times, weighs more than 91,000 elephants and, if spread out, would cover the surface area of all of New York City? Here’s a hint: It’s sweet and it’s pink. And it can be found on food counters, inside kitchen cupboards and in cupsof coffee across the globe. It is Sweet’N Low, and Cumberland Packing Corp., makers of the iconic pink packet, recently celebrated the production of the 500 billionth packet at the company’s original facility in Brooklyn, N.Y., the place were it all started. How manyis 500 billion packets of Sweet’N Low, really? Enoughto... Wrap around the world 792 times Equal the weight of 91,145 average male elephants (12,000 pounds each) e Save dieters a total of 5.5 trillion calories. Thetiny yet highly anticipated 500 billionth packet was donated to the Brooklyn Historical Society as part of a large photomosaic to be added to the organization’s collection. Nearly 50 years and 500 billion packets later, Sweet’N Low can be found in millions upon millions of restaurants and cupboards across the globe. It is found in unexpected places, such as roles in “Seinfeld,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “The Pink Panther.” Yet, despite all of its national and international success, three generations of the Eisenstadt family have remained determined to maintain the core values of the family-run business. For nearly 50 years, Cumberland Packing has kept the Sweet’N Low production facility at the site where Ben Eisenstadt hadhisoriginal diner and packaged hisfirst batch of sweetener. Those same iconic pink packets are now torn open and enjoyed by consumers nearly 33 million times a day. “Tt is nice to know that we have helped ‘sweeten’ the lives of so many people,” said Jeff Eisenstadt, the third-generation CEO of Cumberland Packing. “This is an incredible achievement and a true testament to the dedication and loyalty of our employees. Our employees are extended family. With their help, we are looking forward to celebrating the production of our 1 trillionth packet!” Ben Eisenstadt founded the Cumberland Packing Corp. in 1945, after a post-WWII decrease in business at his Brooklyn Navy Yard diner led to the decision to close the restaurant. When his wife Betty noticed that open sugar bowls in restaurants could be unsightly and unsanitary, she suggested that they use their newly purchased tea bag machine to package single-serving packets n En eoneAe PEEOIC ROB @ Sweet and pink, this sugar substitute recently celebrated its 500 billionth packet. of sugar instead. It was a revolutionary idea. Ben presented it to a major sugar manufacturer, who must have loved the idea because they ran with it and began producing the packets themselves. Ben and his son, Marvin, were determined to find a way to use their packaging technology, and thought that since no granular sugar substitute was available for diabetics, they would find a way to make one. With a name borrowed from Ben’s favorite song and a color chosen to stand out in the sugar bowl, the two Eisenstadts found out how to make a saccharin powderperfect for packets and set out to register the now familiar Sweet’N Low brand (which, coincidentally, received the millionth Federal Trademark Registration for its musical-scale logo). For more information about Sweet’N Low,its history and various recipes, log on to www.sweetn low.com.
