KRAFT FOODS
CORPORATE TIMELINE
1903
James Lewis (J.L.) Kraft rents a horse and wagon, purchases wholesale cheese and
begins selling it to small stores in Chicago, Illinois.
1909
J.L. Kraft & Bros. Company is incorporated, with four of J.L. Kraft’s brothers –
Charles, Fred, Norman and John - involved in the business.
1910
Business increases 125% over the preceding year.
1912
J.L. Kraft & Bros. Co. establishes a New York City sales office.
1914
J.L. Kraft and his brothers decide to manufacture and sell their own cheese
products so the company buys its first cheese plant – in Stockton, Illinois. This
move eventually makes Kraft a household name throughout the world.
1915
J.L. Kraft & Bros. Co. begins producing process cheese in 3-1/2 ounce and 7-3/4
ounce tins.
1916
J.L. Kraft receives a U.S. patent for his method of producing process cheese in tins.
1920
J.L. Kraft returns to his Canadian roots when his company purchases the MacLaren
Imperial Cheese Co., Ltd. of Montreal, Quebec. The purchase marks the start of a
Kraft presence in Canada.
1921
J.L. Kraft & Bros. Co. headquarters is now located at 400 Rush Street in Chicago,
Illinois.
1924
J.L. Kraft’s sales operation shows its first signs of global expansion when Kraft
establishes a sales office in London.
J.L. Kraft & Bros. Co. changes its name to Kraft Cheese Company. J.L. takes his
company public and the first shares are traded on the Chicago Stock Exchange.
1926
Net sales top $36 million.
1928
Kraft Cheese Company merges with Phenix Cheese Corporation (established in
1880) of Chicago, Illinois, maker of Philadelphia cream cheese. The company name
changes to Kraft-Phenix Cheese Corporation.
1930
National Dairy Products Corporation (NDPC), with headquarters in New York City,
acquires Kraft-Phenix Cheese Corporation in May.
1938
The headquarters of Kraft-Phenix Cheese Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of
NDPC, move to 500 Peshtigo Court in Chicago. The newly constructed building near
the lakefront houses both manufacturing and head office facilities.
1940
Kraft-Phenix Cheese Corporation, a subsidiary of NDPC, changes its name to Kraft
Cheese Company.
1945
Kraft Cheese Company, a subsidiary of NDPC, changes its name to Kraft Foods
Company, a subsidiary of NDPC, to reflect its diversified food product lines.
1951
National Dairy Products Corporation sales, which include Kraft dressings, dinner and
cheeses, top the $1 billion mark.
1953
Now more than 200 consumer products carry the Kraft name. The company
operates in 43 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, 8 Canadian provinces and 3
foreign countries (Australia, England and Germany).
J.L. Kraft dies.
1957
After nearly 30 years as a wholly-owned subsidiary of NDPC, Kraft Foods Company
officially becomes the Kraft Foods Division of NDPC in June.
1969
National Dairy Products Corporation changes its name to Kraftco Corporation to
reflect that the company markets more than dairy products and is international in
scope.
Sales reach over $2.5 billion.
1972
Kraftco Corporation headquarters move from New York City to Glenview, Illinois, a
northern Chicago suburb.
1976
Kraftco Corporation becomes Kraft, Inc. in October. The former holding company
with semi-autonomous divisions is reorganized into an operating company with
groups focused on specific markets.
1980
Kraft, Inc. establishes the company’s first European headquarters in Eschborn,
Germany.
Kraft, Inc. merges with Dart Industries Inc. (established in 1902 as United Drug
Company) of Los Angeles, California, to form Dart & Kraft, Inc. Besides Kraft
products, the company includes Duracell, Tupperware, Hobart, West Bend and
Wilsonart.
The company vacates its 500 Peshtigo Court building in December 1980 when it
consolidated corporate and group facilities at its headquarters in Glenview, Illinois.
Remaining Kraft employees move from the Peshtigo Court to Glenview in the early
1980s.
1986
Dart & Kraft, Inc. spins off to shareholders most of the company’s non-food
businesses and changes its name to Kraft, Inc. The new Kraft, Inc. includes Kraft
food and Duracell battery businesses.
Kraft, Inc. acquires Tombstone Pizza Corporation.
1988
The Duracell batteries business is sold to Duracell Holdings Corporation, an affiliate
of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., and Kraft returns to being “all food” for the first
time in more than 30 years.
Kraft, Inc. becomes a part of Philip Morris Companies Inc., effective December 7,
creating the world’s largest consumer products company. Kraft is no longer a
publicly traded company.
1989
Effective in March, Philip Morris Companies Inc. combines Kraft, Inc. and General
Foods Corporation (which Philip Morris acquired in 1985) to form Kraft General
Foods, Inc. (KGF), the largest food company in the United States and Canada, and
the second largest in the world.
1990
Construction begins on a new headquarters campus for KGF in Northfield, Illinois,
with occupancy in the summer of 1992.
1991
KGF acquires Capri Sun, Inc. in the U.S., maker of all-natural ready to drink singleserve beverages.
1992
KGF acquires Jack’s Frozen Pizza, Inc. of Little Chute, Wisconsin.
1993
Kraft General Foods acquires the U.S. and Canadian ready-to-eat cold cereal
businesses of RJR Nabisco’s Nabisco Foods Group. The Nabisco ready-to-eat cereal
line includes Nabisco Shredded Wheat, Spoon Size Shredded Wheat and Shreddies.
1995
In January, Kraft General Foods reorganizes into one operating company and
changes its name to Kraft Foods, Inc. Kraft Foods North America is reorganized into
12 business divisions. Kraft Foods International is reorganized into four regional
units.
Kraft Foods, Inc. sells its sugar confections business (including Kraft caramels and
Jet-Puffed marshmallows) in September, its bakery products business (including
Entenmann’s, Boboli, Oroweat and Freihofer’s products) in October, and also its
tablespreads business (including Parkay, Touch of Butter and Chiffon margarines) in
October.
1996
In September, Kraft Foods launches Kraft Interactive Kitchen (now kraftfoods.com),
an internet site for consumers devoted to good food and good food ideas.
Kraft Foods, Inc. acquires Taco Bell grocery products line from Frito-Lay, Inc. and
Taco Bell Corp. in August.
2000
Kraft acquires Boca Burger, Inc., a maker and marketer of soy-based meal
alternatives, and Balance Bar Company, a maker of nutrition/energy products.
2001
Philip Morris Companies Inc. makes an initial public offering (IPO) for Kraft Foods
Inc. Class A common stock in the second largest IPO in U.S. history. After the IPO,
Philip Morris Companies Inc. continues to own 83.9% of the outstanding shares of
Kraft’s capital stock.
On June 13, Kraft Foods Inc. stock begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol “KFT.”
Kraft Foods Inc. now has two operating groups – Kraft Foods North America and
Kraft Foods International – and two Chief Executive Officers.
2002
Kraft Foods begins a major expansion of its worldwide headquarters in Northfield,
Illinois.
Kraft Foods Inc. releases its first annual report and holds its first annual
stockholders meeting.
2003
Kraft Foods announces a partnership with Rainforest Alliance, a recognized
international conservation leader, to support the development of sustainable coffee
production in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Central America.
In July, Kraft Foods announces global initiatives to help address worldwide rising
obesity rates. These commitments supplement a variety of actions the company is
taking to focus on four key areas: product nutrition, marketing practices, consumer
information, and public advocacy and dialogue.
Kraft Foods North America acquires the Back to Nature cereal and granola
businesses from Organic Milling, Inc. a privately held manufacturer of natural
products, in September.
Philip Morris Companies Inc., parent company of Kraft Foods Inc., changes its name
to Altria Group, Inc.
In December, Kraft Foods departs from a dual Chief Executive Officer structure, and
unifies the company under one global leadership team and a single Chief Executive
Officer.
2004
In January, Kraft Foods Inc. announces a new global “One Company” organizational
structure comprised of three entities: global marketing and category development
group, geographic-based commercial units, and corporate functions.
2005
Kraft Foods North America sells its yogurt business on March 27. Included in the
sale are licenses for the Breyers, Crème Savers and Light ‘n Lively brands.
Kraft Foods Inc. sells its global sugar confectionery business to Wm. Wrigley Jr.
Company on June 26. Included in the sale are Altoids, Life Savers, Crème Savers,
Sugus and Trolli brands.
Kraft Foods Inc. joins the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the U.S. and North
America. The indexes track “the financial performance of the leading sustainabilitydriven companies worldwide.”
2006
On June 26, 2006, the Board of Directors of Kraft Foods Inc. announces the
appointment of Irene Rosenfeld as Chief Executive Officer.
2007
Kraft Foods Inc. becomes a fully independent company on March 30 following its
spin-off from Altria Group, Inc. Shares of Kraft Foods Inc. begin trading on the
New York Stock Exchange on April 2.
2008
Kraft Foods Inc. (KFT) replaces American International Group Inc. (AIG) in the Dow
Jones Industrial Average, effective with the opening of trading on September 22.
The Post cereals business is divested as part of a split-off transaction with Ralcorp
Holdings, Inc.
Kraft Foods is named “Most Innovative Company” by Consumer Goods Technology.
This award recognizes the consumer goods company that continually delivered
growth through new product and process innovation in 2007/2008.
2010
Kraft Foods sells its North American pizza business to Nestlé on March 2. Included
in the sale are the DiGiorno, Tombstone and Jack's brands in the United States, the
Delissio brand in Canada and the California Pizza Kitchen trademark license.
On February 2 Kraft Foods acquires U.K.-based Cadbury plc for $18.5 billion The
combination of Kraft Foods and Cadbury creates a global powerhouse in snacks,
confectionery and quick meals. Integration of the two companies begins
immediately.
2011
On August 4, Kraft Foods announces its intent to “split” and create two
independent, publically traded companies.