What Cumberland Packing Corp. does

Cumberland Packing Corp. is a privately held, family-owned food products company founded in 1945 in Brooklyn, New York by Ben and Betty Eisenstadt. The company invented the granulated sugar packet in 1945 by repurposing tea-packing machines, then launched Sweet'N Low in 1957 as the first single-serve zero-calorie sweetener packet, followed by Sugar In The Raw in 1970, the NatraTaste value-priced sweetener line, the Nu-Salt sodium-free potassium-based salt substitute, and the broader In The Raw family of plant-based and organic sweeteners including stevia, agave, monk fruit, honey, and an all-purpose baking blend. In 1979 the company added Butter Buds, a wholly owned subsidiary providing concentrated dairy, plant-based, and specialty flavor ingredients to food manufacturers globally through a B2B channel, diversifying the business beyond consumer packets.

The company generates revenue through consumer product sales (single-serve sweetener and salt-substitute packets sold via retail grocery, restaurants, cafes, and a flagship foodservice partnership with Starbucks established in 1992) and B2B ingredient sales (Butter Buds concentrated dairy and non-dairy ingredients supplied to food manufacturers worldwide). Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company's customer base spans health-conscious and diabetic consumers seeking low-glycemic and zero-calorie options, food manufacturers seeking clean-label concentrated flavor ingredients, and foodservice operators, supported by brand-specific websites, social media presence on Instagram and LinkedIn, historical television advertising, and a Cumberland Realty arm that leases commercial space from company-owned Brooklyn property. The company has remained under Eisenstadt family ownership for four generations with 251-500 employees and no disclosed external institutional investors.

Name

Cumberland Packing Corp.

Legal name

Cumberland Packing Corp.

Website

https://cpack.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Cumberland Packing Corp. is a fourth-generation, family-owned Brooklyn food company that invented the sugar packet (1945) and Sweet'N Low (1957), now selling iconic sweetener, salt-substitute, and concentrated dairy ingredient brands to consumers, foodservice operators, and food manufacturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Sweeteners & Food Ingredients

NAICS

Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113), Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (31193), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Sweeteners (Sugar, HFCS, Alternative Sweeteners) (CRADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Juice Concentrates & Fruit Bases (AFAFAGAB), Baking Ingredients & Desserts (Flour, Mixes, Frosting, Gelatin) (CRADAAAD)

Keywords

• Sweetener products
• Food ingredients
• Concentrated flavors
• Sugar substitutes
• Specialty food manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consumer Sweetener Products: Sale of consumer-facing sweetener products including Sugar In The Raw, Sweet'N Low, NatraTaste Blue, NatraTaste Gold, and In The Raw brand extensions (Stevia, Agave, Monk Fruit, Honey)
2. Food Service & Industrial Ingredients: Butter Buds supplies concentrated dairy, plant-based, and specialty ingredients to food manufacturers globally
3. Consumer Salt Alternatives: Nu-Salt sodium-free potassium-based salt substitute for health-conscious consumers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cumberland Packing Corp. manufactures and sells a portfolio of single-serve sweetener products (including Sweet'N Low, the In The Raw family of natural sweeteners, Nu-Salt, and NatraTaste) through retail grocery stores, foodservice, and cafes. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Butter Buds Inc., it also produces concentrated dairy and non-dairy flavor ingredients supplied to food manufacturers worldwide.

Product overview

Cumberland Packing Corp. is a family-owned food products company with a portfolio of sweetener brands and ingredients. The core products include Sweet'N Low (zero-calorie saccharin-based sweetener launched 1957), the In The Raw family of natural sweeteners (turbinado sugar, stevia, agave, honey, monk fruit launched 1970-present), Butter Buds (concentrated dairy/non-dairy ingredients for food manufacturers launched 1979), Nu-Salt (potassium-based sodium-free salt substitute), NatraTaste Blue (aspartame sweetener) and NatraTaste Gold (sucralose sweetener). The company also operates Cumberland Realty for commercial real estate leasing. The products range from consumer-facing retail packets to industrial ingredients for food manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• In The Raw: Natural sweeteners including Sugar In The Raw, Stevia In The Raw, Agave In The Raw, Honey In The Raw, and Monk Fruit In The Raw. Products are plant-based and minimally processed.
• Sweet'N Low
• Butter Buds
• Nu-Salt
• NatraTaste Blue

Products and services

• Sweet'N Low America's iconic pink zero-calorie sugar substitute sold in single-serve packets, targeted at consumers managing diabetes or seeking low-calorie sweetening for beverages and food at home, restaurants, and cafes.
• Sugar In The Raw Single-serve turbinado cane sugar packets offering a less-processed natural sweetener alternative to refined white sugar for consumers in retail and foodservice channels.
• Butter Buds Concentrated dairy and non-dairy flavor ingredients (including reduced-fat, reduced-cholesterol, and plant-based options) supplied to leading food manufacturers globally for use in products such as vegan ice cream and snacks.
• NatraTaste Blue Aspartame-based zero-calorie sweetener safe for diabetics with a low-glycemic profile, positioned as an affordable alternative to Equal.
• Stevia In The Raw Zero-calorie plant-based stevia sweetener sold in single-serve green packets for consumers seeking a natural, plant-based sugar alternative.
• NatraTaste Gold Value-priced sucralose-based zero-calorie sweetener targeted at consumers seeking a more affordable Splenda alternative.
• Agave In The Raw Low-glycemic agave sweetener sourced from Mexico's blue agave plant, sold to consumers as a natural sugar alternative available in organic, light, and hot variants.
• Monk Fruit In The Raw Zero-calorie plant-based monk fruit sweetener sold in single-serve orange packets for consumers seeking natural, low-calorie sweetening.
• Honey In The Raw

Quantifiable outcome

• First to market with sugar packet and zero-calorie sweetener packet
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• StarbuckscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSugar In The Raw debuted at Starbucks in 1992 as the chain rapidly expanded locations and sought 'better for you' offerings for their customers. The partnership established Sugar In The Raw as the preferred sweetener at Starbucks.
• Sourcing Partners/SupplierscoreOthersCumberland considers their sourcing partners, many of whom have been with them for generations, as part of their family business. They source ingredients with focus on quality, wellness, and sustainability.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Merisant (Equal): Markets the Equal brand of aspartame-based zero-calorie sweetener, directly competing with Sweet'N Low and NatraTaste Blue in retail sweetener aisles and foodservice outlets.
• Whole Earth Brands: Public sweetener and flavor company with natural sweetener brands (Wholesome, Equal, Whole Earth) that compete head-to-head with the In The Raw natural sweetener portfolio in the health-conscious consumer segment.
• Heartland Food Products Group (Splenda): Owner of the Splenda sucralose brand, the most direct mass-market competitor to Sweet'N Low and NatraTaste Gold. Operates in the same single-serve zero-calorie sweetener packet category with overlapping retail and foodservice distribution.
• Kerry Group: Global taste and nutrition company supplying dairy and plant-based flavor ingredients to food manufacturers; closely comparable to Butter Buds' B2B concentrated dairy and plant-based ingredient business.
• Cargill (Truvia): Cargill's Truvia is a leading stevia-based natural sweetener brand and a direct competitor to the In The Raw family's Stevia and Monk Fruit products in retail and foodservice channels.

Broad incumbents

• Sensient Technologies: Specialty ingredient manufacturer producing flavors, extracts, and natural sweeteners for the food and beverage industry; comparable to both Butter Buds (B2B flavors) and In The Raw (natural sweeteners).
• Domino Foods: Major US sugar refiner and marketer of Domino and C&H sugar brands, competing with Sugar In The Raw in the natural/turbinado sugar segment and with Cumberland's other cane-sugar-based products.
• McCormick & Company: Large global flavor company with retail sweetener and flavor adjacencies (including vanilla and baking extracts); operates at greater scale in overlapping consumer foodservice and B2B channels as Cumberland.
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): Global leader in food ingredients, flavors, and fragrances supplying food and beverage manufacturers; competes with Butter Buds in B2B dairy and plant-based flavor systems.
• Tate & Lyle: Global specialty food and ingredient company with a major sweeteners portfolio (Splenda sucralose, specialty starches, sugar reduction solutions), serving both B2B food manufacturers and consumer sweetener markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cumberland-packing-corp.
• Instagraminstagram.com/sweetnlow

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cumberland Packing Corp.