Alpo (pet food) facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Pet food |
| Founded | 1936 |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Products | Dog food |
| Owner | Nestlé Purina PetCare |
Alpo is a well-known brand of dog food. It is made by Nestlé Purina PetCare. This company is part of Nestlé. Alpo comes in different forms. You can find it as canned food, soft packaged food, or dry kibbles.
Contents
Alpo's Story: A Look Back
How Alpo Started
Alpo began in 1936. It was founded by Robert F. Hunsicker. The name "Alpo" is short for Allen Products. The first factory was in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It was a small building.
Changing Owners Over Time
Over the years, Alpo changed owners several times. In 1964, the Allen Products Company was bought by Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company. Later, in 1980, Grand Metropolitan acquired Liggett & Myers. Grand Metropolitan then sold the Liggett Group in 1986. However, they kept Alpo Petfoods, Inc.
In 1995, Nestlé SA bought Alpo Petfoods, Inc. from Grand Metropolitan. Then, in January 2001, Nestlé SA merged its Nestlé Friskies pet food business with Ralston Purina. This created the Nestlé Purina PetCare Company. Alpo has been part of Nestlé Purina PetCare ever since.
Alpo's Marketing and Ads
Famous Faces and Places
For many years, a famous actor named Lorne Greene was the main spokesperson for Alpo on TV. He even joked that Alpo was so good, he fed it to his own dogs. Another well-known TV personality, Ed McMahon, also worked with Alpo for a long time. Even the cartoon cat Garfield was a "spokescat" for the brand in the 1990s.
Alpo was also a sponsor of the very first broadcast of the TV news show 60 Minutes. This happened on September 24, 1968. You could also see an Alpo advertisement at Connie Mack Stadium. This was the home of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. The ad was there from the mid-1950s until the stadium closed in 1970.
"Real Dogs" Campaigns
Alpo is also known for its marketing campaigns. These ads often focus on owners of "real dogs." They sometimes playfully show how some people pamper their dogs. Alpo's message is often about providing good food for everyday, active dogs.
