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Pet, Inc. was an American company that was the first to commercially produce evaporated milk1 and later became a multi-brand food products conglomerate.2 Pet is now part of General Mills.
History
John Baptist Meÿenberg (1847-1914) was an operator at the Anglo-Swiss milk condensery at Cham, Switzerland. Anglo-Swiss made sweetened condensed milk. From 1866 through 1883, Meÿenberg experimented with preservation of milk without the use of sugar. He discovered that condensed milk would last longer if heated to 120°C (248°F) in a sealed container, and hence could be preserved without adding sugar. When Anglo-Swiss declined to implement Meÿenberg's work, he resigned from the company and emigrated to the United States. John Meÿenberg first moved to St. Louis, but soon transferred to Highland, Illinois due to its large Swiss emigrant population. On 25 November 1884, U.S. Patents 308,421 (Apparatus for Preserving Milk) and 308,422 (Process for Preserving Milk) were issued to Meÿenberg. Meÿenberg associated with various local merchants, including John Wildi, Louis Latzer, Dr. Knoebel, George Roth and Fred Kaeser and, on February 14, 1885, organized the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company.3
The company commenced operations in a closed wool factory. Helvetia started processing 300 gallons of raw milk a day. On 8 July 1885, the steam-powered sterilizer exploded and Helvetia Milk Condensing Company closed operations for repairs. Milk canned in early 1886 spoiled. Although John Meÿenberg believed that cans were inadequately sealed, others claimed that Meÿenberg's sterilization process was the cause. Due to this criticism, Meÿenberg left in August 1886. (In 1899, Meÿenberg would assist Elbridge Amos Stuart, founder of Carnation Condensed Milk, develop mass production of canned evaporated milk.)
Louis Latzer assumed the role of technical director. He determined that the spoilage was caused by bacteria and resolved the problem. John Wildi was instrumental in marketing the product nationally and internationally, especially in areas where fresh milk or refrigeration were scarce. In 1895, the company registered the Pet trademark. In 1907, John Wildi separated from the company and organized the John Wildi Evaporated Milk Company in Columbus, Ohio.
- During World War I, American troops referred to a Helvetia milk can as a "Tin Cow".
- In 1923, the Helventia Milk Condensing was renamed the Pet Milk Company after its signature product "Our Pet Evaporated Cream".
- Transformed into a food conglomerate with the purchase of many brands in the early 1960s. Including C. H. Musselman, Whitman's, Downyflake, and R. E. Funsten.
- Changed name to Pet Incorporated in 1966.
- Acquired by IC Industries in 1978.
- Acquired Orval Kent in 1989.4
- Spun off of Whitman in 1990.5
- Acquired by the Pillsbury Company division of Grand Metropolitan in 1995. Major brands of interest are Old El Paso and Progresso.6
- In 2000, General Mills acquired Pillsbury (incl. Pet) from Diageo. 7
References
- ^ Hunziker, O. F. [1914] (1918). Condensed milk and milk powder: prepared for the use of milk condenseries, dairy students and pure food departments, 2, LaGrange, IL: author, 22. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. "While, for several years before the organization of this company, the possibilities of producing a sterile unsweetened condensed milk were essayed in laboratory investigations by scientists, and while simultaneously with the commencement of operations of this company, several other companies also experimented on this form of condensed milk, the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company was the first organization that succeeded in producing a marketable unsweetened condensed milk that was sterile and would keep indefinitely."
- ^ Company profile as of the late 1990s
- ^ The Canning Clan, by Earl Chapin May. New York: the Macmillan Company, 1937
- ^ Pet Inc. takeover of Orval Kent Food Co
- ^ Whitman Revamping; Will Spin Off Pet Inc.
- ^ Grand Met Makes $2.6 Billion Offer for Pet Inc.
- ^ Pillsbury History
External links
- U.S. Patent 308,421, Apparatus for Preserving Milk
- U.S. Patent 308,422, Process for Preserving Milk
- U.S. Patent No. 358,213, Process of Evaporating Milk
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 10 November 2008, at 14:58.
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