Claus Spreckels

Abstract Claus Spreckels constitutes the book’s first case study, putting individual agency at the heart of global commodity histories. He arrived as a penniless immigrant and became one of the ten richest Americans. His ‘sugar kingdom’ transformed large swathes of California and Hawaii into cane- and beet-growing regions. Spreckels personifies the transnational nature of global sugar production. He travelled annually to Germany to learn about the latest technologies, purchased machines and patents, and attracted German experts who would realize his vision of a rational agribusiness based on science. Going beyond the case study, the chapter makes broader theoretical contributions on immigrant entrepreneurship. Immigrants connect different markets through language and culture, have access to different networks, and have a higher willingness to embrace risk.