Nabisco, founded in 1792, merged with other bakeries to become the National Biscuit Company in 1898. The company introduced the Inner-Seal package and UNEEDA Boy advertising campaign. Nabisco expanded its product line to include Animal Crackers, Lorna Doones, and Oreos. During World War II, Nabisco developed an emergency field ration for pilots and paratroopers and supplied dog biscuits to the Army’s Canine Corps. Nabisco was acquired by RJ Reynolds in 1985 and merged into Kraft Foods, Inc. in 2000.
Nabisco’s history stretches back more than 200 years and is filled with major milestones and innovations. The Nabisco company began in 1792 when Pearson and Sons Bakery opened and specialized in “pilot bread,” a strong, durable biscuit that sailors could take with them on long sea voyages. Then, in 1801, Josiah Bent Bakery began selling “crackers,” so named for the crunchy sound the snacks made when someone bit into them.
In 1889, businessman William Moore decided he could improve the efficiency and quality of these ovens, so he merged Pearson, Bent and six others and merged them into the larger New York Biscuit Company. A year later, Adolphus Green decided to acquire forty bakeries in the Midwest to form the American Biscuit and Manufacturing Company.
In 1898, Green and Moore decided to merge their two companies together with the United States Baking Company to create the National Biscuit Company, a merger which resulted in 114 bakeries across the United States. Adolphus Green, a Chicago businessman and lawyer, was named president of this new company. Under Green’s direction, the National Biscuit Company quickly became the leading manufacturer and marketer of biscuits in the United States.
Early in his presidency, Green decided that the National Biscuit Company, often abbreviated to NBC, needed a new idea that would grab public attention. He got it when his employees created a new cracker that was flakier and lighter than any of their competitors’ versions. The UNEEDA cookie looked promising, but Green had to find a way to make sure everything got to customers fresh and tasty. So while other companies sold loose crackers out of barrels, the National Biscuit Company created the Inner-Seal package, an ingenious system of cross-layered wax paper and cardboard.
Green decided, however, that the new packaging wasn’t enough. She decided to hire the Philadelphia advertising agency NW Ayer and Son to promote the product. The agency created an illustration of a healthy child clutching a box of UNEEDA biscuits. The boy wore a raincoat and rain boots to demonstrate the moisture-proof nature of the pack. UNEEDA Boy was one of the first brands and helped UNEEDA become one of the first mass-marketed products.
In the early 20th century, Nabisco focused on expanding its line of biscuits. In 1902, Nabisco created the famous Barnum’s Animal Crackers. Ten years later, Nabisco introduced America to Lorna Doones and Oreos, which quickly became the world’s best-selling cookie.
When Green died in 1917, the new president, Roy E. Tomilson, was faced with food production during World War I. Rationing sugar and wheat flour meant that cookies weren’t as sweet as they used to be, and crackers had to be made with cornmeal and rye. The ads featured Uncle Sam holding NBC products with the patriotic caption of “done as it says.”
In the 1920s, NBC continued to thrive, building several new bakeries, acquiring new businesses, and expanding its product line to include breakfast cereals, ice cream cones, and pretzels. When the depression hit, the company’s growth slowed, but Nabisco still managed to market their new dog biscuits and introduce Ritz Crackers as a new prestige item.
In 1941, the word “Nabisco” replaced the letters “NBC” in official branding. The change was no doubt made to reduce confusion with the recently formed National Broadcasting Company, which was also popularly referred to as NBC.
During World War II, Nabisco was again faced with rationing of flour, sugar, butter and oil. They managed to save production by altering and substituting ingredients. Nabisco was also tasked with developing an emergency field ration for pilots and paratroopers and even supplied dog biscuits to the Army’s Canine Corps. After World War II, Nabisco pioneered the use of rail cars to transport raw materials in bulk.
The 1950s marked the beginning of overseas expansion for Nabisco, which established partnerships with bakeries in Mexico and Venezuela. By the late 1960s, Nabisco was the leading producer of biscuits and gravy in the United States, Latin America, Canada, France and Scandinavia. During the 1970s, Nabisco continued its growth. Sales reached the $1 billion dollar (USD) mark in 1971 and the $2 billion mark just five years later. In 1970, the company entered Asia by partnering with a Japanese bakery.
In the 1980s, America’s growing obsession with health and body issues caused some concern in Nabisco. The company decided to market low-salt versions of their popular crackers and introduced a healthy snack with their SnackWells line. In 1985, Nabisco was acquired by RJ Reynolds in one of the largest acquisitions in the history of the business.
In 1993, Kraft General Foods acquired the company’s convenience cereals, and in 2000, Philip Morris Companies, Inc. merged Nabisco into Kraft Foods, Inc. Despite these mergers, favorites such as Oreo Cookies, Fig Newton’s, Barnum’s Animal Crackers, Honey Maid Grahams, Ritz crackers, Saltines and Wheat Thins are still some of the most popular snack food spots in America.
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