Iams () is an American brand of

dog food Dog food is specifically formulated food 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 carn ...

and

cat food Cat food is food specifically formulated and designed for consumption by cats. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, cats in London were often fed horse meat sold by traders known as Cats’ Meat Men or Women, who traveled designated routes ...

manufactured by Spectrum Brands in Europe and

Mars, Incorporated Mars, Incorporated (doing business as Mars Inc.) is an American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products and a provider of animal care services founded on June 23, 1911, headquartered in McLean, Virgini ...

worldwide excluding Europe. The food is formulated for the puppy/kitten, adult and mature stages of life. 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, Paul Iams wanted to differentiate the new formula from other Iams products. Iams chose to name this new formula "Eukanuba", a term originated by jazz era personality

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor, author and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s and 1940s, a ...

, meaning "the tops" or "something supreme".^{dubious – discuss''">Talk:Eukanuba#Dubious name origin claim">discuss''/sup>

In 1973 during the Arab oil embargo

In October 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) announced that it was implementing a total oil embargo against countries that had supported Israel at any point during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which began after E ...
, the costs for meat and bone meal tripled. Sale prices in the U.S. were frozen by a nationwide wage and price control was issued by ex-president Richard Nixon

Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...
. 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. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...
in September 1999.

In its largest divestiture in five years, Procter & Gamble

The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...
announced in April 2014 that it would sell Iams worldwide, Eukanuba and Natura pet-food brands in all markets except Europe to Mars, Inc. for $2.9 billion in cash. Mars said that the deal would allow it to gain a new business 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. P&G also exercised options to acquire Mars's pet-food business in some parts of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, including Australia, Japan and Singapore. Procter & Gamble

The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...
sold its European pet-care business to Spectrum Brands in December 2014.

References

External links

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{{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}