At the time of its purchase by Keebler, Sunshine Biscuits was the third-largest cookie baker in the United States.

[3] Until the late 19th century, the biscuit and cracker industry was made up of small independent local bakeries preparing products and selling them in bulk.

The barrels and crates of biscuits were delivered by horse and wagon, set out in the grocery store and sold to the consumer by the measure.

In 1890, a group of 33 Midwest and Western bakers combined to form the American Biscuit & Manufacturing Company.

Finally in February 1898, the competing groups combined 114 factories and formed the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco).

Joseph Loose was a member of Nabisco's Board of Directors, and in 1902, he, his brother Jacob Loose, and John H. Wiles, liquidated their holdings in National Biscuit Company and formed the Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company in Kansas City, Missouri.

They made a snack cracker line called American Heritage, Cherry Coolers, Fig Bars (not Fig Newtons), and International Snacks, a line of sandwich cookies with two flavors of creme in every cookie.