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With the Korean war, Flotill became the biggest packager of C rations for U.S. troops (assembling food products made by scores of other factories). Tillie has developed another big sideline, canning 300,000 to 400,000 cases a year of beef stew, corned-beef hash, chili and chili con carne for Hormel. From the original cannery, Flotill has grown to three plants—two at Stockton, a third at Modesto—covering 67 acres, using more than 25 freight cars of tin cans daily, packaging 75,000 cases of 77 different seasonal items, employing 4,000 workers at peak season.
After her lifelong romance with the tomato, Tillie still becomes lyrical over it. Says she: "To see those rich red tomatoes against the white conveyor belt and the gleaming cans traveling overhead—well, it's really beautiful."
* Who owns the St. Regis.