Colony Brands, Inc. (formerly, ''The Swiss Colony, Inc.'') is a
mail-order
Mail order is the buying of goods or services by mail delivery. The buyer places an order for the desired products with the merchant through some remote methods such as:
* Sending an order form in the mail
* Placing a telephone call
* Placing a ...
and electronic retail company known for its cheese, sausage, chocolate, fruitcakes, and other food products. The company also features extensive offerings in furniture, home decor, apparel, entertainment products, and electronics. It is one of the largest
direct marketers in the United States.
History
The company was founded in 1926 in
Monroe, Wisconsin
Monroe, known as "the Swiss Cheese Capital of the USA", is a city in and the county seat of Green County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,661 at the 2020 census. The city is bordered by the Town of Monroe to the north and the T ...
, a town with a strong concentration of
Swiss
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss Internation ...
immigrants and a storied history of cheese production. Ray Kubly, then a senior at the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...
, completed a project for one of his classes by analyzing the business case for selling
Green County cheese via mail order. Following graduation, Ray decided to pursue the venture and commenced operations from his family's basement. In the first year of operation, only 50 orders of cheese were shipped. The company grew steadily over time and attracted regional and national recognition. Sausage as well as bakery products and confections were added to the company's offerings. The company made its first entry into non-food merchandising in 1982.
Colony Brands, Inc. and its affiliated companies now employ more than 4,500 people. Approximately 50% of these individuals work on a temporary basis during peak operations in fall and holiday seasons.
In recognition of its strong roots in southern Wisconsin, the company sponsors the Swiss Colony
Cheese Days Parade in Green County, Wisconsin, every September in even numbered years.
The company changed its name from ''The Swiss Colony, Inc.'' to ''Colony Brands, Inc.'' on June 1, 2010, in an effort to "better reflect its position as a parent company for our extensive portfolio of food and non-food catalogs, internet and subsidiaries."
Brands
In addition to its namesake Swiss Colony brand, Colony Brands, Inc. operates catalog businesses under numerous names.
In August 2008, a Swiss Colony subsidiary purchased the assets of bankrupt retailer Direct Marketing Services Inc., giving Swiss Colony control of DMSI's direct-mail brands:
*
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is the name of two successive U.S. retail corporations. The original Montgomery Ward & Co. was a world-pioneering mail-order business and later also a leading department store chain that operated between 1872 and 2001. The curren ...
(general merchandise)
* Charles Keath (home decor)
* Home Visions (bedding, furniture, home décor)
Colony Brands owns many different catalog companies, including Ashro, Montgomery Ward, The Swiss Colony, Wisconsin Cheeseman, Midnight Velvet, Ginny's, Monroe and Main, Country Door, Tender Filet, and Seventh Avenue, the latter of which is considered their flagship catalog.
Colony Brands, Inc. also maintains a controlling interest in
Janesville, Wisconsin
Janesville is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat and largest city in the county. It is a principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Madison–Jane ...
-based SC Aviation, Inc., a provider of aircraft charter and management services.
Facilities
Colony Brands, Inc. has been headquartered in Monroe, Wisconsin since its inception and concentrates its operations in the upper midwest US. Primary facilities are located in:
*
Monroe, Wisconsin
Monroe, known as "the Swiss Cheese Capital of the USA", is a city in and the county seat of Green County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,661 at the 2020 census. The city is bordered by the Town of Monroe to the north and the T ...
- Corporate headquarters; SC Data Center, Inc.; Integrated Marketing Solutions, Inc.; DM Services, Inc.; Green County Foods, Inc.; SC Global Sourcing, Inc.
*
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...
*
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Sun Prairie is a city in Dane County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. A suburb of Madison, it is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 35,967 at the 2020 U.S. Census. It is the second-most populous city in Da ...
*
Janesville, Wisconsin
Janesville is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat and largest city in the county. It is a principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Madison–Jane ...
- SC Aviation, Inc.
*
Westmont, Illinois
Westmont is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. Westmont is a community of 5.03 square miles in area with a 2010 population of 24,685. It is located approximately west of the Chicago Loop in the southeastern portion of DuPage Co ...
*
Clinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,469 as of 2020. Clinton, along with DeWitt (also located in Clinton County), was named in honor of the sixth governor of New York, DeWitt Cl ...
*
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Iowa, United States. Located along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state, it is the largest of the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area with a population of 384,324 and a ...
*
Peosta, Iowa
Peosta is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and an exurb of the city of Dubuque. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,908 in the 2020 census, an increase of 193% from 651 in 2000. Peost ...
- Colony Brands, Inc. (order fulfillment)
*
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city along the Mississippi River in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 17,312, making it the largest city in Marion County. The bulk of the city is in Mario ...
- SC Data Center, Inc. (customer service and order taking)
During the 1960s and '70s, The Swiss Colony became known for a network of retail stores in shopping malls throughout the US, growing to more than 225 locations.
The company made a strategic decision to end these operations in the early 1980s, to focus on catalog operations. This was due to an economic downturn and the high cost of space in suitable shopping centers. The company maintains outlet stores in Monroe, Wisconsin, and Davenport, Iowa.
Leadership
Pat Kubly assumed leadership of the company from his father, founder Ray Kubly, in 1969. He currently serves as chairman of the board. Colony Brands, Inc. president John Baumann is in charge of day-to-day operations. Ray Kubly's grandson, Ryan Kubly, is the director of strategic planning.
References
External links
*
*
Swiss Colony catalog website*
SC Aviation, Inc.*
{{Montgomery Ward, state=autocollapse
Companies based in Wisconsin
Direct marketing
Retail companies established in 1926
Montgomery Ward
Swiss-American culture in Wisconsin
Food and drink companies of the United States
1926 establishments in Wisconsin