C.A. Swanson & Company had a big problem. It was just after Thanksgiving 1953, and the frozen-food brand had wildly overestimated the demand for turkey. Now, 260 tons of frozen birds were sitting in refrigerated train cars. Since the compressors only worked when the cars were moving, Swanson ordered its train to travel back and forth between Nebraska and the East Coast until panicked executives could figure out what to do.
The answer would come from a sales rep named Gerry Thomas. On a trip to Pittsburgh, Thomas had noticed the three-compartment aluminum trays used by American Airlines. Thomas sent a sample tray to Omaha, advising his superiors to sell off their surplus turkey as a ready-made frozen meal.
