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Gerber is a famous baby food brand that began being produced in 1928 at the Fremont Canning Company, owned by Daniel Frank Gerber, in Fremont, Michigan. At the suggestion of a pediatrician, Daniel's wife began making hand-strained food for their seven month old daughter, Sally. Soon she sold her husband on the idea of selling packaged food for babies.
Some say Sally Gerber is the famous Gerber baby still seen on the company's product labels, but the company website says the baby was a charcoal sketch of Ann Turner Cook drawn by Dorothy Hope Smith.
The brand eventually became a major international player in the baby food industry, selling products in 16 different languages and in 80 countries world-wide. In 1938, their first customer relations department was set up, Sally Gerber taking responsibility for answering customer's letters personally.
In 1960, Gerber started using the glass jars that customers see now at supermarkets. 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.
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.
In 1994, Gerber merged with Sandoz Laboratories, and in 1996 became part of the Novartis group.
Competitors include Beech-Nut and Del Monte Foods.
External link - Gerber corporate website (http://www.gerber.com)
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