Gravy Train (dog food)

Gravy Train is an American brand of dog food, currently owned by The J.M. Smucker Company after it acquired Big Heart Pet Brands in 2015.[1]

Gravy Train
Product typeDog food
OwnerThe J.M. Smucker Company
CountryU.S.
Introduced1959 (1959)
Previous owners
Websitegravytraindog.com

Originally developed by General Foods, the Gravy Train brand was introduced in 1959 and trademarked in 1960.[2] It was the first brand of dog food to have a brown gravy form when warm water is added to the dry kibble, mixing with the kibble's powder coating. The gravy is intended to make the food more palatable. The advertising catchphrase was "The Gravy Taste Dogs Can't Wait to Finish."

History
1963 ad for Gravy Train by General Foods

Products under the "Gravy Train" brand were originally produced and marketed by General Foods,[3] as part of its Gaines division which included Gaines Meal, Gaines-Burgers as well as Prime Choice and Top Choice.[4]

In 2014, Big Heart Pet Brands, the pet food division of Del Monte Foods, became an independent company, taking over rights to the Gravy Train brand.[5] In March 2015, it was announced that J.M. Smucker had completed the acquisition of Big Heart Pet Brands and its brands portfolio. Big Heart had 2,500 employees at the moment of the purchase.[6] J.M. Smucker was best known for its jams, jellies, coffee, and other people food, committed to pay $5.8 billion cash and stock deal for the acquisition. Big Heart was the largest pet food manufacturer in the U.S. by then.[1][7]

Nutritional info

Gravy Train primarily consists of byproducts from corn, wheat and soybeans, cellulose gum (the active ingredient that creates the gravy), bone meal, vitamin and mineral supplementation, artificial colors, BHA and rosemary.[8][9]

References
  1. J.M. Smucker adds major pet food brands in ‘transformational’ $5.8 billion purchase by Jim Mackinnon at Ohio.com, 3 Feb 2015 (archived)
  2. Our History on Gravy Train website
  3. General Foods Corp. v. Perk Foods Co., 13 Feb 1968 on the Casetext website
  4. "History Project's 1984 ad for Gravy Train". Archived from the original on 2006-09-10. Retrieved 2006-10-08.
  5. "Big Heart Pet Brands is the New Name for Del Monte Foods' Pet Products Business". Business Wire. 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2015-02-04.
  6. The J. M. Smucker Company Completes Acquisition of Big Heart Pet Brands on PR Newswire, 23 Mar 2015
  7. J.M. Smucker acquires Big Heart Pet Brands (Meow Mix, Milk Bones, Kibbles 'n Bits, 9Lives) in a $6 billion deal on Cleveland.com, 24 Mar 2015
  8. Nutrition info on brand website
  9. Gravy Train Dog Food Review (Dry) at Dog Food Advisor
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.