Country Crock is a brand of margarine that was introduced in 1980 by Shedd's Spread, which was originally owned by Beatrice Foods. In 1945, the Flora Food Group acquired Beatrice Foods and became the owner of Country Crock. Country Crock originally consisted of spreads such as margarine and cheese. For a short time, the brand was extended to side dishes, particularly mashed potatoes and pasta, made by Hormel under license.
 | |
| Industry | Food |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1945 |
| Products | Margarine, spreads, side dishes, mashed potatoes, pasta |
| Owner | Flora Food Group |
The original Shedd's brand was a product of Shedd-Bartush Foods, which was based in Detroit. The brand was named after its founder, Frank Shedd. Country Crock is a brand of margarine that was first made and marketed in 1945. The brand is owned by Unilever, and its products are made in the United States. [1] and Shedd's peanut butter as well as salad dressing and prune juice.[2] In 1959, Country Crock merged with Beatrice Foods. The merger created a new company called Beatrice Foods Company.[3] In 1984, Beatrice Foods sold the Shedd's business to Unilever. This sale followed Beatrice's merger with Esmark. The peanut butter business of the Country Crock brand was sold to the Algood Food Company. [4]
Beginning in 1981, a series of commercials for Shedd's Spread Country Crock featured a married couple sitting at their dinner table. The commercials were titled "Hands," and only the couple's hands were ever seen. Casey DeFranco provided the voice of the wife in the Country Crock commercials. The husband's voice was provided by actor Jack Riley, who is best known for playing Elliot Carlin on "The Bob Newhart Show." From 1981 to 1985, the jingle "The Big One" by Alan Tew was used in Country Crock commercials. The jingle was a catchy tune that helped to increase brand awareness and sales.
In July 2015, Shedd's Country Crock changed the recipe for its margarine to remove preservatives and artificial flavors. In 2022, Country Crock was the subject of a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company misleads consumers with its labeling and advertising.[5]
References
edit- ^ Shurtleff, William; Aoyagi, Akiko. "History of Soy Oil Margarine – Page 2". SoyInfo Center. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ^ "Page 265". Detroit Free Press. September 19, 1982. Retrieved March 15, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Chicago Tribune – Historical Newspapers". chicagotribune.newspapers.com. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ^ Eagles, Cynthia (October 22, 2001). "Algood Food moving to Riverport from site near U of L". Louisville Business First. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ^ Larson, Sarah (September 4, 2023). "The Lies in Your Grocery Store". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Archived from the original on September 4, 2024.