Long-standing Detroit Immigrant-Started Companies

**jeduncan** · March-17-11, 01:24 PM

Hello all,

long time no post. My Brain is apparently broken today, and I'm looking to you all for some help.

What are some of Metro Detroit's big immigrant-started companies [[including those that may have left the region). Right now, all I can think of is Kowalski. Probably because I'm hungry.

bartock · March-17-11, 01:29 PM

Stroh and not Vernors. Faygo.

**belleislerunner** · March-17-11, 02:24 PM

Caraco Pharmaceutical in Detroit was founded by Dilip Sanghvi. Large producer of generic drugs - though they had some quality issues recently and last month agreed to merge with Sun Pharma.

Masco in Taylor was founded by an Armenian immigrant [[Alex Manoogian). Numerous buildings on local colleges are named after him

**Homer** · March-17-11, 03:37 PM

Manny Maroun evil imimgrant from Canada

**PaulGall** · March-17-11, 03:54 PM

Germack Pistachios. First importer of pistachios to North America, circa 1923.

**tiorted** · March-17-11, 04:02 PM

Cheesecake Factory...

**Detroitej72** · March-17-11, 04:42 PM

Vlasic Pickles were founded by a Polish immigrant in Detroit. Heinze Prector[[hope I spelled it correctly) started a sunroof and auto accessories company.

**Lferg** · March-17-11, 05:01 PM

American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island were started by brothers from Greece. Wigley's and Grobbel's were also started by immigrants.

**Mikeg** · March-17-11, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Lferg

.....Wigley's and Grobbel's were also started by immigrants.

Grobbel's was founded in 1883 by Emil Wilhelm Grobbel, who was my second cousin, three times removed. He was born in Obringhausen, Westphalia in 1852 and came to Detroit in 1879. E.W.Grobbel & Sons claims to be "America's oldest corned beef specialist" and today is one of their biggest days:

**Kathleen** · March-17-11, 07:30 PM

Mikeg!! We just had some delicious Grobbel's Corned Beef for our St. Paddy's Day dinner, and I had the thought that Grobbel's might fit this thread! Thanks for confirming.

**Detroitej72** · March-17-11, 07:41 PM

Stroh's Beer, Bernhardt Stroh.

**thnk2mch** · March-17-11, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by belleislerunner

Caraco Pharmaceutical in Detroit was founded by Dilip Sanghvi. Large producer of generic drugs - though they had some quality issues recently and last month agreed to merge with Sun Pharma.

Masco in Taylor was founded by an Armenian immigrant [[Alex Manoogian). Numerous buildings on local colleges are named after him

Dilip Sanghvi founded Sun Pharma, but I am pretty sure he was not the founder of Caraco.