<a href="http://lipidlibrary.aocs.org/history/Normann/index.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank">Wilhelm Normann</a> was awarded a patent in 1903 for the "Process for the Conversion of Unsaturated Fatty Acids or Their Glycerides into Saturated Compounds." Basically, Normann figured out how to turn liquid oils into a thicker, firmer substance through hydrogenation. This solid fat was less likely to spoil and cheaper to produce and transport. 