Baby food has long been a substance that sustains children beyond breast milk. Infants not yet old enough to tolerate full adult foods need their own food to help them grow. In the early 20th century, commercially marketed products became available as a convenient and nutritious way of feeding a baby. The Gerber Company was one of the earliest creators of this form of baby food.
History
Historically, most infants were breastfed, and this method provided their primary source of food. In the late 19th century, infants who were unable to breastfeed were given formula, but it was considered expensive and controversial, according to The Food Timeline. As babies grew, parents made baby food in the home. Baby foods were typically a mix of grain or vegetable, which was mashed and combined with milk or water, and they were mixed and sold by a pharmacist.
Early Start
The start of Gerber baby food came in 1928 because of a suggestion by Dorothy Gerber, daughter-in-law of Frank Gerber, owner of the Fremont Canning Company, notes FundingUniverse, a website that features company histories and information. Dorothy and her husband Daniel had a young daughter for whom they strained and mashed food at home for feedings. The suggestion was for the family’s canning company to begin creating and selling pre-prepared baby foods to eliminate much of the work involved for women mixing food at home.
Marketing
The Gerber baby food line was introduced after much market analysis and promotion. The creators wanted to know if commercially prepared baby food would be something that would sell to the public. Gerber promoted its baby food as nutritious and convenient through a campaign directed at mothers by "Good Housekeeping" magazine. The response was successful, and sales increased, necessitating distribution across the country. Within only a few years, many competitor companies were trying to successfully create their own brand of baby food, reports FundingUniverse.
The Gerber Baby
One of the most well-known associations with Gerber products is the Gerber baby. The Gerber Company wanted a picture of a baby as part of its label, and many responses were received. The company chose a sketch drawn by Dorothy Hope Smith, an artist who had drawn a rough draft image of a baby named Ann Turner Cook. According to Gerber, the sketch became extremely popular, prompting it to become the Gerber trademark image in 1931. The same image has been on each package of Gerber foods since.
Today
The Gerber Company merged with Nestlé foods in 2007 to continue to provide healthy foods for infants and toddlers and began the Start Healthy, Stay Healthy program. Through extensive research, Gerber determined that improvement was necessary for infants and young children to recruit enough daily vitamins in their diets. Gerber continues to promote healthy starts for children by creating baby food that is high in nutrients and by promoting healthy practices among mothers caring for their babies.
