IXL Presents

Red block text with black edge over an illustration of a person in a black hat and suite next to red text on a yellow background

IXL Food Company from San Leandro, California, was a major canned meat products company that began in the 1950s. In 1960, IXL Italian Sauce Suprema won a gold medal at the California State Fair and Rome Industrial Exposition. In 1961, IXL was purchased and trademarked by Nalley’s Fine Foods out of Tacoma, Washington, which had been founded in 1918. IXL developed the "Mr. Icksel” character early on in the company’s history as an advertising campaign that helped consumers understand the pronunciation of the IXL brand. Although the company had changed hands from Nalley’s Fine Foods, the "Mr. Icksel” character stuck around with a new color scheme of black and red.