Gerber Products Company

Gerber Products Company is perhaps the most well-known purveyor of baby food and baby products in the world. The company was founded in 1927 in Fremont, Michigan by Daniel Frank Gerber, owner of the Fremont Canning Company. At the suggestion of a pediatrician, Daniel's wife began making hand-strained food for their seven month old daughter, Sally. Fed up with the chore, Dorothy and Daniel Gerber agreed that there must be a better way. Daniel Gerber began devoting resources at the cannery to baby food production. By 1928, five products were available, and six months later, Gerber's baby foods were available nationwide.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The brand eventually became a major international player in the baby food industry, offering more than 190 products in 80 countries, with labeling in 16 languages.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1960, Gerber started using glass jars, which often found new life as a household storage item. Soon after, other items such as pacifiers, baby bottles and small baby toys were introduced. In 2003, the glass jars were replaced with plastic jars.

Related Topics:
1960 - 2003 - Plastic

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Early in the 1990s, Gerber tried to enter into the sugar-free food market with a Sugar Free Vanilla Custard flavor, favorable to diabetic babies. Demand was not as high as expected for this product, however, and it was dropped off the supermarket shelves after a few years. Gerber also began to produce juices, which are still being sold as of 2004. In 1999, Gerber established Gerber Skincare products for babies.

Related Topics:
1990s - Diabetic - As of 2004 - 1999

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gerber has a long history of communicating with parents and helping them to raise happy, healthy babies. In 1938, Gerber Products set up their consumer relations department, and then-ten-year-old Sally Gerber began answering each customer's letter individually, a practice she would continue for many years, even after she became president of the company. In 1988, the company set up a toll-free customer relations hotline, the Gerber Parents' Resource Center, which has been dispensing information on baby food and parenting issues ever since.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1994, Gerber merged with Sandoz Laboratories. In 1996, Sandoz merged with CIBA-Geigy to form Novartis, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Gerber is currently a business unit of Novartis Consumer Health, a division of Novartis.

Related Topics:
1994 - Sandoz Laboratories - Novartis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gerber's competitors include Beech-Nut and Del Monte Foods.

Related Topics:
Beech-Nut - Del Monte Foods

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~