It’s hard to find a more quintessentially American brand than Tupperware. Founded in 1946 by Earl Tupper, who invented the famous sealable container that would make him millions, the company combines a host of American dream clichés: technical innovation, entrepreneurialism and, at the heart of its sales strategy, an idyllic vision of the hard-working, pie-baking mother.
Yet unlike some of its direct-selling rivals — most notably, Avon — Tupperware has shown a surprising resilience in a changing world. It is now firmly in multinational territory, rather than staying all-American. More than half of its sales come from emerging markets and its global army of saleswomen stood at 2.7 million last year, more than 800,000 of them in Asia.
Unlike Avon, Tupperware has kept its business