Gardetto's is a brand of snack mix owned by General Mills, which also owns the similar Chex Mix. The Gardetto Family Bakery was founded in 1932 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Baptiste and Diane Gardetto and acquired by General Mills in 1999.[1] According to the packaging, it was at the bakery that Judy Gardetto took the trimmings of breadsticks and mixed them in along with other snack bits and a blend of special seasonings.In 1981, Judy Gardetto began baking breadstick ends marinated in oil, garlic and Worcestershire sauce in her own oven. Her family produced them at the bakery plant and initially sold them as "Gardetto's Snak-Ens" to bars and restaurants in 10-pound bags. Her father added pretzels, rye chips and Chex cereal to the mix and began selling them "Gardetto's Deluxe Snak-Ens". It was initially marketed to high-end shops in the midwest. In 1987, the company began selling 1.75-oz bags in vending machines, and attributed demand taking off to this decision. The product name was eventually changed to Original Recipe.[2] [Wikipedia]
