Gustavus Swift

Gustavus Swift was an influential American businessman who revolutionized the meat industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He pioneered the use of refrigerated train cars, allowing fresh meat to be shipped efficiently across long distances. This innovation helped create the modern dairy and meatpacking industries, enabling mass production, distribution, and affordability of meat products nationwide. Swift’s approach also contributed to the rise of the large-scale, centralized meatpacking plants, transforming food processing and supply chains in America. His work laid the foundation for the global food distribution systems we rely on today.