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Mondelēz International history
Mondelēz International company history timeline
Mondelez International is rooted in the National Dairy Products Corporation (National Dairy), which was founded on December 10, 1923, by Thomas H. McInnerney and Edward E. Rieck.
In 1923 he went to Wall Street to convince investment bankers there to finance his scheme for consolidating the United States ice cream industry.
The resulting firm was then listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the offer of 125,000 shares having been oversubscribed. As a result of his efforts, National Dairy Products Corporation was formed in 1923 in a merger of McInnerney’s Hydrox with Rieck McJunkin Dairy Co of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In 1924, Kraft Cheese Company was founded and was listed on the Chicago Stock Exchange.
1925 - Christie, Brown and Company, Limited is incorporated under a Dominion charter.
1926 - Net sales top $36 million.
His first chewing gum, Vejle Tyggegummi, was introduced to the Danish market in January 1927 and became an instant success.
Later, in 1927, it established its London, United Kingdom, and Hamburg, Germany, sales offices—its first forays outside North America.
In 1928, it acquired Phenix Cheese Company, the maker of a cream cheese branded as Philadelphia Cream Cheese, founded by Jason F. Whitney Sr. and the company changed its name to Kraft-Phenix Cheese Company.
1929 - The Fleischmann Company, the Royal Baking Powder Company and Chase and Sandborn merge to form Standard Brands Incorporated on June 28.
1929 - Dad's cookies are introduced in Ontario and Quebec.
By 1930 it was the largest dairy company in the United States and the world, exceeding Borden.
In 1930, the company also began operating in Australia following a merger with Fred Walker & Co.
In 1930, National Dairy acquired Kraft Phenix.
In 1933, the company began marketing by radio sponsorship.
1933 - A revolutionary gum wrapper is developed that seals all the original factory freshness inside an airtight foil wrapper.
In 1935, the Sealtest brand of ice cream was launched as a unified national brand to replace the firm’s numerous regional brands.
1935 - The word ‘Uneeda’ is dropped from the colophon logo and the older form, with the letters N.B.C., is reintroduced.
In 1939, the chewing gum maker adopted the name Dandy, and the Dandy brand name appeared for the first time.
1939 - The second World War begins.
1940 - Kraft-Phenix Cheese Corporation, a subsidiary of NDPC, changes its name to Kraft Cheese Company.
1941 - American Chicle Company manufacturing plants are now operating in Argentina and Venezuela.
The title changes to Nabisco Magazine in 1941.
1942 - The Home Economics Division opens Nabisco Test Kitchens, each complete with an electric or gas range, refrigerator, stainless steel sink and streamlined cabinets.
Following Holger Sørensen death in 1943, his son, Erik Bagger-Sørensen, took charge of the company along with his mother.
1943 - The company receives the Army-Navy “E” Award for its war efforts in the production and distribution of biscuits.
1945 - President George Coppers begins a 12-year modernization program.
In 1947, the company tested the marketing power of the emerging medium of television by producing an hour-long drama/anthology series, the Kraft Television Theatre.
1948 - Peek Frean (Canada) Ltd. is incorporated.
In a joint venture, Nabisco acquires part ownership of the European biscuit business of United Biscuits (founded in 1948). And United Biscuits acquires Nabisco’s business businesses in Spain, Portugal, the Middle East and Africa.
1950 - A new biscuit bakery officially opens at Etobicoke, Ontario (Toronto), now known as Lakeshore bakery.
1950 - After the war, the modernization and expansion of the LU business accelerates.
1951 - National Dairy Products Corporation sales, which include Kraft dressings, dinner and cheeses, top the $1 billion mark.
1952 - Larger self-serve supermarkets are replacing the corner grocery store and Nabisco needs a unified symbol to attract consumer’s attention.
1954 - Nabisco sponsors its first evening television show, Halls of Ivy, on CBS.
1955 - Cadbury launches its first television advertising on 22 September with an ad for drinking chocolate.
1956 - Production begins at the company’s new Rockford, Illinois plant in October.
During these years, Thomas McInnerney, National Dairy’s founder, and James L. Kraft, Kraft’s founder, died, and at the end of the decade, the divisions became less autonomous and even diversified to the glass-packaging business with the acquisition of Metro Glass in 1956.
Stimorol, which would become Dandy’s most popular gum brand, was introduced in 1956.
1956 - Famous American (Paris born) industrial and graphic designer Raymond Loewy creates a new modern LU logo.
1958 - The head office acquires its first computer.
Launched in 1960 as a sugar gum, it is now a high quality sugarless gum.
1960 - National Biscuit Company opens a sales and distribution branch in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the first such unit to be built outside the continental United States.
In 1961, the firm acquired Dominion Dairies of Canada, marking the first effort by the firm to expand into fluid milk and ice cream outside the United States.
1961 - Christie, Brown & Co. begins baking Girl Guide cookies for Girl Guides of Canada organization.
1962 - National Biscuit Company acquires Frears Ltd. of England.
1963 - Kraft establishes a presence in Central America by opening a production facility in Panama.
1964 - Warner Lambert, through its British affiliate, purchases Hall Bros (Whitefield) Ltd., of Manchester, England.
1966 - A Food Services Division is established to handle sales, marketing and distribution of non-grocery-store products.
1967 - The holding company British Cocoa and Chocolate Company changes its name to Cadbury Group Ltd.
1968 - In response to growing competition from large American biscuit companies, six French companies (LU, Brun, Trois Chatons, Saint-Sauveur, Rem and Magdeleine) join to form LU-Brun et Associés Group (LU-Brun and Associates) with Patrick Lefèvre-Utile as president.
In 1969, the firm changed its name from National Dairy to Kraftco Corporation.
1971 - National Biscuit Company formally changes its name to Nabisco, Inc. as of April 27 although it has used the Nabisco name on an informal basis for many years.
Dad’s Industries acquires full ownership in 1973.
1973 - Construction begins for a new global headquarters building in East Hanover, New Jersey.
1973 - Chipita was established in Greece as a company producing and marketing savory snacks.
1974 - The suggested retail price of Dentyne, Trident, Chiclets and other Adams brand gums is now 15 cents per package.
In 1976, its name changed to Kraft, Inc. to emphasize the trademark the company had been known for and as a result of the fact that dairy, other than cheese, was now only a minor part of the company’s sales.
1977 - Céraliment LU-Brun (CLB) takes control of the Belgian company GBCo (Général Biscuit, l’Alsacienne, De Beukelaer, Parein).
1978 - Associated Biscuits of Canada Ltd. acquires Dad’s Industries Ltd. and its subsidiary Dad’s Cookies Ltd., maker of Dad's cookies.
In 1980, Kraft merged with Dart Industries—makers of the Duracell brand of batteries, Tupperware brand of plastic containers, West Bend brand of home appliances, Wilsonartbrand of plastics and Thatcher glass—to form Dart & Kraft.
1981 - Nabisco, Inc. acquires Life Savers, Inc.
1983 - In January, Nabisco Brands Canada Ltd. acquires Associated Biscuits of Canada Ltd., maker of Dad's, David, Harnois, and Peek Freans brands of cookies and crackers.
1985 - Kraft acquires Invernizzi S.p.A. of Melzo, Italy, the largest cheese company in that country.
1986 - R.J. Reynolds Industries, Inc. changes its name to R.J.R. Nabisco, Inc. effective as of April 23.
At the end of 1988, Philip Morris Companies purchased Kraft for $12.9 billion.
1988 - Bubbaloo gum is introduced in Central America, Spain and Puerto Rico.
1988 - Cadbury Schweppes acquires Chocolat Poulain, maker of the number 3 chocolate brand in France at that time.
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.
Although independent operations, the Freia and Marabou companies worked closely together over the years, and in 1990 Freia bought the Marabou chocolate business.
1990 - The required asset sales are completed and Nabisco Holdings Corp. is once again publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
The company buys a major Australian biscuit company, Lanes Food Group, and in doing so gains control of the Nabisco brands licensed to Lanes since 1991.
1992 - Nearly 60% of Warner-Lambert’s confectionery sales now occur outside the United States
1992 - KGF International buys an Italian coffee business that includes the Splendid and Caramba brands.
1993 - On January 4, Nabisco Foods Group sells its United States and Canadian ready-to-eat cereal business – primarily Shredded Wheat brand – to Kraft General Foods.
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1993 - KGF International purchases Freia Marabou, Scandinavia’s premier confectioner, and Terry’s of York, a major United Kingdom confectioner.
1994 - KGF International buys Ukraina, a leading confectionery brand in Ukraine, building its business in Eastern Europe.
1995 - On January 19, R.J.R Nabisco Holdings Corp. offers an initial public offering (IPO) for 19.5 % of Nabisco Holdings Corp. common stock, raising over $1 billion to reduce its bank debt.
In 1995, it changed its name to Kraft Foods Inc.
1995 - Cadbury Schweppes acquires Allan Candy, including the Sour Patch trademark in Canada.
1995 - The innovative savory Bake Rolls hit the markets, rapidly establishing itself as a consumer favorite in more than 20 countries.
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.
The same year, it sold its bakery division (except Lender’s Bagels, which was sold in 1996 to CPC International), its candy division and its tablespreads division.
Log Cabin syrup was sold in 1997.
1997 - Warner-Lambert changes the name of its gum and confectionery unit from American Chicle Group to Adams.
1998 - Nabisco divests its tablespreads business – Fleischmann’s, Blue Bonnet, Parkay, Chiffon and Touch of Butter – as well as several other brands, to ConAgra.
Premark was bought by Illinois Tool Works in 1999.
1999 - Kraft acquires Mova, a snacks business in Ukraine.
2000 - Cadbury Schweppes acquires Hollywood, a leading French chewing gum brand.
In 2001, Philip Morris sold 280 million Kraft shares via the third-largest IPO of all time, retaining an 88.1% stake in the company.
2002 - Kraft Foods begins a major expansion of its worldwide headquarters in Northfield, Illinois.
2003 - Cadbury becomes the world’s number one confectionery company ( and number 2 in chewing gum) with the acquisition in March of United States-based Adams chewing gum business.
Kraft began a major restructuring process in January 2004, following a year of declining sales (blamed largely on the rising health consciousness of Americans) and the sacking of co-CEO Betsy Holden.
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.
On June 26, 2006, the Board of Directors of Kraft Foods Inc. announces the appointment of Irene Rosenfeld as Chief Executive Officer.
2006 - Cadbury Adams introduces a new gum brand.
On January 31, 2007, after months of speculation, the company announced that its 88.1% stake would be spun off to Altria shareholders at the end of March 2007; each would be given approximately 0.7 shares of Kraft for every Altria share they owned.
In November 2007, Kraft agreed to sell its cereal unit to Ralcorp Holdings, a major private-label food maker, for $2.6 billion in a form of a spin-off merger.
As of 2007, Philip Morris (now Altria Inc.) had sold its stake in Kraft foods and the two companies are no longer affiliated.
Jacobs, Carte Noire and Maxim soluble coffee brands will be produced at the new facility beginning in the fall of 2007.
In February 2008, Berkshire Hathaway run by billionaire investor Warren E. Buffett announced that it had acquired an 8% stake in Kraft then worth over $4 billion.
2008 - Cadbury and Schweppes de-merge effective 7 May, separating the confections and beverages businesses into two companies.
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 Somerdale Factory was closed just days after the takeover by Kraft Foods in 2009.
On September 10, 2010, a disgruntled employee angered over a recent suspension, Yvonne Hiller, opened fire inside the Philadelphia Factory where she had worked for 15 years.
Berkshire Hathaway owned 5.6% of the outstanding stock of Kraft Foods, as reported in the holding company’s 2010 annual report.
In April 2011, Kraft set to invest $150 million in South Africa’s manufacturing plants over three years.
In October 2012, Kraft Foods split itself into two separate publicly traded companies: Mondelez International (MDLZ 0.45%) and Kraft Foods Group, which is now part of Kraft Heinz.
2, 2012, Mondelez stock is up more than 50%, as the snack food giant has been able to improve margins in the face of slow growth.
Kraft spent $1.3 billion on integration to achieve an estimated $675 million in annual savings by the end of 2012.
On June 30, 2016, Mondelez made a $23 billion offer to buy its smaller rival, Hershey.
2016 - 7DAYS became the Naming Partner of EuroCup and a Premium Partner of EuroLeague Basketball.
In August 2017, it was announced that Dirk Van de Put, Belgian CEO of McCain Foods, would succeed Irene Rosenfeld as CEO in November 2017.
In the first quarter of 2017, adjusted operating margin improved further to 16.8%, and management has guided for a mid-16% margin for the full year.
Margin improvement should further boost the bottom line, where management expects double-digit growth in adjusted earnings per share for 2017.
On May 6, 2018, Mondelez agreed to buy cookie maker Tate's Bake Shop for approximately $500 million.
The acquisition was completed on June 7, 2018.
On June 19, 2019, Mondelez agreed to acquire a majority interest in Perfect Snacks, owner of refrigerated protein bar Perfect Bar.
The acquisition was completed on April 3, 2020.
In January 2021, Mondelez announced that it had bought Hu Master Holdings for more than $250 million.
On May 26, 2021, Mondelez announced an agreement to acquire Greek snack company Chipita S.A., a high-growth key player in the Central and Eastern European croissants and baked snacks category.
On January 3, 2022, Mondelez announced that the acquisition is complete.
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Mondelēz International competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell Soup | 1869 | $9.6B | 19,000 | 448 |
| Nabisco | 1898 | $270.0M | 1,420 | - |
| Emerson | 1890 | $15.2B | 83,500 | 904 |
| ADM | 1902 | $85.2B | 38,100 | 1,027 |
| Mars | 1911 | $37.0B | 130,000 | 268 |
| Kellogg | 1906 | $12.7B | 34,000 | 41 |
| Nestlé | 1983 | $95.6B | 328,000 | 766 |
| The Hershey Company | 1894 | $9.0B | 16,140 | 388 |
| American Greetings | 1906 | $1.7B | 27,500 | 752 |
| Avon Product | 1886 | $2.8B | 23,000 | 29 |
Mondelēz International history FAQs
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Mondelēz International may also be known as or be related to Mondelez International, Mondelez International Inc, Mondelez International, Inc. and Mondelēz International.