Iams () is an American brand of

dog food Dog food is food specifically formulated and intended for consumption by dogs and other related canines. Dogs are considered to be omnivores with a carnivorous bias. They have the sharp, pointed teeth and shorter gastrointestinal tracts of ca ...

and cat food manufactured by

Spectrum Brands Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. is an American diversified company. Headquartered in Middleton, Wisconsin, it was established in 2005 as the successor company to Rayovac Corporation. It is one of the Fortune 500 companies, and among the largest of ...

in Europe and

Mars, Incorporated Mars, Incorporated is an American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products and a provider of animal care services, with US$40 billion in annual sales in 2021. Mars was ranked as the fourth-largest pri ...

worldwide. The food is formulated for the puppy/kitten, adult and mature stages of life. Iams products are developed by nutritionists and veterinarians and may be found in three main formulas: ProActive Health, Healthy Naturals and Premium Protection. Veterinary formulas for pets with special dietary requirements are also produced. According to Iams, since 2006, studies have been conducted in pet owners' homes, P&G Pet Care's Pet Health & Nutrition Center and locations where dogs and cats are already living such as assistance dog organizations.

History

During the 1940s, because pet food was not available in stores, animals were predominantly fed homemade food, usually table scraps. In 1969, Iams formulated a new dog food and named it

Eukanuba Eukanuba ( ) is the brand name of dog food and cat food, owned and manufactured by Mars, Incorporated worldwide and by Spectrum Brands in European markets; previously handled by Procter & Gamble from 1999 through 2014. The company produces 1 ...

. In 1973 during the

Arab oil embargo The 1973 oil crisis or first oil crisis began in October 1973 when the members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), led by Saudi Arabia, proclaimed an oil embargo. The embargo was targeted at nations that had supp ...

, the costs for meat and bone meal tripled, but sale prices in the U.S. were frozen by a nationwide wage and price control issued by President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

. Iams did not change the product formula during the price-freeze mandate and the company nearly went bankrupt. Clay Mathile, who had joined Iams in 1970, purchased half of the company in 1975. By 1982, he became its sole owner and president. After expanding the company from $100,000 revenue in 1970 to $900 million in 1999, Mathile sold it to

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer he ...

(P&G) in September 1999. In July 2006, P&G reorganized the Pet Health & Nutrition division into P&G Pet Care (consisting of the Iams and Eukanuba brands). In its largest divestiture in five years, Procter & Gamble announced in April 2014 that it would sell its Iams, Eukanuba and Natura pet-food brands in all markets except Europe to

for $2.9 billion in cash. P&G said that the deal would allow it to lose a slow performer and generate cash to grow core businesses. The deal for P&G Pet Care's operations in North America and Latin America was completed in August 2014. Mars, Inc. also exercised options to acquire P&G's pet-food business in some parts of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, including Australia, Japan and Singapore. P&G sold its European pet-care business to

in December 2014.

References

External links

* {{Mars, Incorporated Cat food brands Dog food brands Companies based in Dayton, Ohio American companies established in 1946 Food and drink companies established in 1946 1946 establishments in Ohio Mars brands Former Procter & Gamble brands