After borrowing money from his father, he started the Wilbur Dairy Company (later renamed the Jones-Rich Milk Company) in 1935. The success of his cream substitute brought a series of lawsuits from the dairy industry in an effort to stop distribution of his product. Rich prevailed in every case. At his death, he was one of the wealthiest people in the world, reportedly worth $2 billion,[6][4] and his company was the largest family-owned food products company in America.
His older son continued this, and added some sponsorships:
On November 4, 2010, Bob Rich announced that Rich Products shall be the official kit sponsor of the English Northern League Division One team Bedlington Terriers F.C.[11]
Due to pressure from the dairy industry, Rich Products was sued in 36 states, the founder's older son Robert E. Rich Jr. said,[4] and won 40 out of 41 cases.[13] The company's CoffeeRich product, marketed with a series of national ads featuring George Burns, did well: "its sales soared, particularly among Jews who kept kosher and were forbidden to put cream in their coffee while eating meat."
"The elder Rich was considered one of the founding fathers of the frozen food industry" is how a local business newspaper summarized his business success.[14]