The founding owner, William H. Bovee, saw an opportunity to produce roasted and ground coffee ready for brewing.

[6] After working at Bovee's mill for nearly a year, Folger had saved enough money to buy part of the company, and went to mine for gold.

Upon his return to San Francisco in 1865, Folger became a full partner at Pioneer Steam Coffee and Spice Mills.

Under the mid-20th century leadership of Peter Folger, the brand became one of the principal coffee concerns in North America.

In 1960, the construction of a Folger Coffee Company plant in New Orleans was started due to new shipping routes from Central America.

On August 9, 1969, company heiress Abigail Folger was stabbed to death in Los Angeles as part of the Manson Family's Tate–LaBianca murders.

[10][11] Utilizing a rare financial technique called a Reverse Morris Trust, Smucker purchased Folgers in November 2008 and made it a subsidiary, whose products lead the $10 billion USD at-home retail coffee category.

[13] Folgers established brand colors, included on their logo, were traditionally a moderately dark red background with white lettering.

It is well associated with a jingle featured in almost every advertisement since 1984, with lyrics by Susan Spiegel Solovay and Bill Vernick, and music by Leslie Pearl.

Over the years it has been rearranged and performed by many famous musicians, such as Richie Havens, Randy Travis, Bonnie Tyler, Paul Stanley, Aretha Franklin, and Rockapella.

After a trial season with the Joe Ruttman-driven and Larry McClure-owned Chevrolet in 1985, Folgers expanded its sponsorships.

[26] In the 1998 film The Big Lebowski, after one of the protagonists dies, their ashes are transported to the Pacific Ocean in a Folgers coffee can because the cheapest urn is deemed too expensive.

[29] In the 1991 Seinfeld episode "The Library", Jerry is challenged by Lt. Bookman (played by Philip Baker Hall) on why there is no instant coffee available for guests to his apartment: "You buy a jar of Folger's Crystals, you put it in the cupboard, you forget about it.