Iams facts for kids
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| Product type | Pet food |
|---|---|
| Owner |
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| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1946 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
Iams is a well-known brand that makes food for dogs and cats. This pet food is made for pets at different stages of their lives. This includes food for puppies and kittens, adult pets, and older pets. Iams also makes special food for pets that have unique health needs. Companies like Spectrum Brands (in Europe) and Mars, Incorporated (in most other parts of the world) make Iams pet food. Iams has also done studies to make sure their food is good for pets. These studies happen in pet owners' homes and at places where pets already live, like organizations that train assistance dogs.
Contents
The Story of Iams Pet Food
How Iams Started
A long time ago, in the 1940s, it was hard to buy pet food in stores. Most pets ate homemade food, often just leftovers from their owners' meals. A man named Paul Iams wanted to change this. He was an animal nutritionist who studied at Ohio State University.
In 1946, Paul Iams started his own company, The Iams Company. It began in a small building near Dayton, Ohio. In 1950, he created something new: the world's first dry dog food made mostly from animal protein. He called this special food "Iams 999."
The Name Eukanuba
Later, in 1969, Paul Iams created an even newer and better food formula. He wanted it to have a unique name. He chose "Eukanuba." This word came from a jazz musician named Hoagy Carmichael. It meant "the tops" or "something supreme."
Challenges and New Owners
In 1973, the cost of ingredients like meat and bone meal went up a lot. At the same time, the government had rules that stopped companies from raising their prices. Because of this, The Iams Company almost went out of business.
Clay Mathile had joined Iams in 1970. In 1975, he bought half of the company. By 1982, he owned the whole company and became its president. Under his leadership, Iams grew a lot. In 1999, Mathile sold the company to Procter & Gamble.
Iams Today
In 2014, Procter & Gamble decided to sell its pet food brands, including Iams and Eukanuba. Most of the Iams business, covering North America, Latin America, and parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, was sold to Mars, Incorporated. Mars is a very large company that makes many different products, including other pet foods.
Later in 2014, Procter & Gamble sold the Iams business in Europe to Spectrum Brands. So, today, Iams pet food is made by different companies in different parts of the world.
