Iams facts for kids
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| Product type | Pet food |
|---|---|
| Owner |
|
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1946 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | Procter & Gamble (1999–2014) |
Iams is a well-known brand of dog food and cat food. It's made by Mars, Incorporated for most of the world and by Spectrum Brands in Europe. Iams creates special food for pets at different stages of their lives, like puppies and kittens, adult pets, and older pets. They also make special food for pets with particular health needs.
Iams says that since 2006, they have studied pets in their own homes, at their Pet Health & Nutrition Center, and even at places where dogs and cats already live, such as organizations that train assistance dogs.
How Iams Started
In the 1940s, it was hard to find pet food in stores. Most animals ate homemade meals, often made from leftover food.
A man named Paul Iams, who studied animal nutrition, started The Iams Company in 1946. He opened his first small factory near Dayton, Ohio.
The First Dry Pet Food
In 1950, Paul Iams created something new: the world's first dry dog food made mostly from animal protein. He called it Iams 999.
Later, in 1969, Paul Iams wanted to create a special name for a new and improved recipe. He chose the name "Eukanuba." This word came from a jazz musician named Hoagy Carmichael, and it meant "the best" or "something supreme."
Tough Times and New Owners
In 1973, there was a big problem called the Arab oil embargo. This made the cost of ingredients like meat and bone meal three times more expensive! At the same time, the U.S. government, led by President Richard Nixon, froze prices across the country. This meant Iams couldn't raise its prices, even though its costs were much higher. The 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. Clay Mathile helped the company grow a lot, from making $100,000 in 1970 to $900 million in 1999!
In September 1999, Mathile sold Iams to a very large company called Procter & Gamble (P&G).
Changing Hands Again
In 2014, Procter & Gamble decided to sell its pet food brands, including Iams and Eukanuba. They wanted to focus on their other main businesses.
Most of the Iams business (in North America, Latin America, and parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa) was sold to Mars, Incorporated. Mars, Inc. is another huge company that makes many well-known products, including pet food.
Later that same year, P&G sold the European part of its pet food business to Spectrum Brands. So now, Iams is owned by two different companies around the world.
