Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company

Last updated
Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company
Industry Manufacturing
Founded
Founder George Ham Page
Charles Page
Defunct1905 (1905)
Fate Merger
Successor Nestlé
Headquarters
ProductsEvaporated milk
OwnerPage Brothers

Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company [1] was a Swiss manufacturer of evaporated milk founded in 1866 by American brothers George Ham Page and Charles Page. During the 1870s the company steadily expanded into foreign markets which included the United Kingdom and the German Empire. In 1882, the company expanded into the United States, and built the largest factory worldwide in Dixon, Illinois which was the hometown of the Page brothers. However, the competition was too strong and they sold the factory to Borden in 1902. After the death of George H. Page the company merged with Henri Nestlé company which ultimately became Nestlé in 1977.

Contents

History

The Page brothers from Dixon, Illinois, George Ham Page (1836-1899) and Charles Page (1838-1873), initially hailed from a farming background in rural Illinois. During the American Civil War, they got into contact with the manufacturing of evaporated milk in cans. Charles was later engaged as commercial vice consul and traveled Switzerland. It's believed that he got inspired by the cows and the open plains to start a manufacturing plant targeting the European markets. [2] [3]

Share certificate (1885) Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. 1885.jpg
Share certificate (1885)

In 1866, he and his brother, incorporated the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. in Cham, Switzerland with initially 100,000 Swiss Francs in share capital. They were among the first producers of evaporated milk in Europe, which they sold under the brand "Milchmädchen" (English: Milk Girl). In order to produce they imported machinery and manufacturing methods which they took-over from Gail Borden. [4] [5] The success of the Anglo-Swiss attracted countless imitators in Europe: by 1872, 25 more milk condensing factories had been set up. The Anglo Swiss reacted with acquisitions and founding new factories: The factories in Düdingen and Gossau and in Middlewich and Aylesbury in England (1874) [6] were just the beginning of a long-term strategy to eliminate competitors through acquisitions. [7] [8]

In addition, however, they also built their own factories in Europe, especially since the rising nationalism increasingly created protectionist barriers - around 1874 in Chippenham, England and Lindau, German Empire in order not to be able to be cut off from their target markets. From 1882, Anglo Swiss then expanded into the USA by purchasing its first factory in Middletown, New York and around 1889 even built what was then the largest condensed milk factory in the world in the Page brothers' home town of Dixon, Illinois. Due to heavy competition, they decided to sell the American operations to Borden in 1902. After the death of George Page the way clear for merger negotiations. In 1905, the former competitors merged to form the "Nestlé and Anglo Swiss Condensed Milk Company", which was shortened to Nestlé in 1977, now one of the world's largest food companies. [9] [10]

See also

Literature

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nestlé</span> Swiss multinational food company

Nestlé S.A. is a Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. It has been the largest publicly held food company in the world, measured by revenue and other metrics, since 2014. It ranked No. 64 on the Fortune Global 500 in 2017 and No. 33 in the 2016 edition of the Forbes Global 2000 list of the largest public companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ovaltine</span> Brand of milk flavoring product

Ovaltine is a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract, sugar, and whey. Some flavors also have cocoa. Ovaltine, a registered trademark of Associated British Foods, is made by Wander AG, a subsidiary of Twinings, which acquired the brand from Novartis in 2002, except in the United States, where Nestlé acquired the rights separately from Novartis in the late 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Condensed milk</span> Milk from which water has been removed and sugar added

Condensed milk is cow's milk from which water has been removed. It is most often found with sugar added, in the form of sweetened condensed milk (SCM), to the extent that the terms "condensed milk" and "sweetened condensed milk" are often used interchangeably today. Sweetened condensed milk is a very thick, sweet product, which when canned can last for years without refrigeration if not opened. The product is used in numerous dessert dishes in many countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cham, Switzerland</span> Municipality in Zug, Switzerland

Cham is a municipality in the canton of Zug in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnation (brand)</span> Brand of evaporated milk and other products

Carnation is a brand of food products. The brand was especially known for its evaporated milk product created in 1899, then called Carnation Sterilized Cream and later called Carnation Evaporated Milk. The brand has since been used for other related products including milk-flavoring mixes, flavored beverages, flavor syrups, hot cocoa mixes, instant breakfasts, corn flakes, ice cream novelties, and dog food. Nestlé acquired the Carnation Company in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gail Borden</span> American inventor, surveyor, and publisher, inventor of condensed milk

Gail Borden Jr. was a native New Yorker who settled in Texas in 1829, where he worked as a land surveyor, newspaper publisher, and inventor. He created a process in 1853 to make sweetened condensed milk. Earlier, Borden helped plan the cities of Houston and Galveston in 1836.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borden (company)</span> Disbanded American producer of food products

Borden, Inc., was an American producer of food and beverage products, consumer products, and industrial products. At one time, the company was the largest U.S. producer of dairy and pasta products. Its food division, Borden Foods, was based in Columbus, Ohio, and focused primarily on pasta and pasta sauces, bakery products, snacks, processed cheese, jams and jellies, and ice cream. It was best known for its Borden Ice Cream, Meadow Gold milk, Creamette pasta, and Borden Condensed Milk brands. Its consumer products and industrial segment marketed wallpaper, adhesives, plastics and resins. By 1993, sales of food products accounted for 67 percent of its revenue. It was also known for its Elmer's and Krazy Glue brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swiss chocolate</span> Chocolate processed in Switzerland

Swiss chocolate is chocolate produced in Switzerland. While cacao beans and other ingredients such as sugar cane originate from outside Switzerland, the actual production of the chocolate must take place in Switzerland. Switzerland's chocolates have earned an international reputation for high quality with many famous international chocolate brands.

Eagle Family Foods Group LLC, doing business as Eagle Foods, is an American food company based in Cleveland, Ohio. The company was founded in 2015 by Paul Smucker Wagstaff after acquiring ownership of the Borden canned milk brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cailler</span> Oldest Swiss chocolate brand

Cailler is a Swiss chocolate brand and production factory based in Broc. It was founded in Vevey by François-Louis Cailler in 1819 and remained independent until the early 20th century, when it associated with other producers. Shortly before, Cailler opened its main factory at Broc in 1898. The company was finally bought by Nestlé in 1929 and became a brand. Cailler is the oldest chocolate brand still in existence in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocolat Frey</span> Swiss food manufacturer

Chocolat Frey AG, commonly Frey, based in Buchs in the Swiss Canton of Aargau, manufactures chocolate and chewing gum. The products of the leading chocolate manufacturer on the Swiss chocolate market are sold both in Switzerland and abroad under the brand name of Frey as well as additional private labels. The company, founded in 1887, is a business enterprise of the M-Industry and has been a part of the Migros Group since 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pet, Inc.</span> Former American branded foods company

Pet, Inc. was an American company that was the first to commercially produce evaporated milk as a shelf-stable consumer product with its "PET Milk" brand. While evaporated milk was popular before refrigerators were common in homes, sales peaked in the 1950s and it is now a niche product used in baking and as a cooking ingredient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Page (alpine skier)</span> American alpine skier

George Hugh Page was an American alpine skier who competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics. He was born in Cham, Switzerland. In 1936 he finished 13th in the alpine skiing combined event. Page was a grandson of George Ham Page, co-founder of the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, a predecessor company from Nestlé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staverton Mill</span>

Staverton Mill is an historic woollen mill and now a cereal factory on the River Avon in the village of Staverton near Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverness, Toogoolawah</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Inverness is a heritage-listed detached house at 58 Fulham Street, Toogoolawah, Somerset Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by John Henry Burley and built in 1917 by D A Menzies. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Nestlé Lanka is a Sri Lanka-based foods company located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Nestlé Lanka is a subsidiary of Nestlé, a Switzerland based company. Nestlé's products include baby food, medical food, bottled water, breakfast cereals, coffee and tea. The company was founded by the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in 1906 and incorporated under Nestlé Ceylon Company. Nestlé Lanka is Sri Lanka's largest food company by revenue, with Rs 36.355 billion in 2019. The whole company is controlled by the Nestlé Switzerland parent company. Nestlé S.A. owns over 90 per cent total shares. Nestlé Lanka PLC became the seventh most valuable brand in Sri Lanka worth approximately Rs 21 billion in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter's Chocolate</span> Swiss chocolate brand

Peter's Chocolate was a Swiss chocolate producer founded in 1867 by Daniel Peter in Vevey. It is notably the company who produced the first successful milk chocolate bar. It merged with Kohler in 1904, with Cailler in 1911, and was bought by Nestlé in 1929. The brand was purchased by Cargill in 2002. Peter's Chocolate was recurrently advertised with the image of a traditionally dressed man waving a chocolate bar, often with an Alpine scenery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Abegg-Arter</span>

Carl Abegg known as Carl Abegg-Arter was a Swiss industrialist, silk merchant and banker. He was the founder of Abegg & Co in 1885, a leading silk trading house. He was also a co-founder of Zurich Insurance Group, Chemins de fer Orientaux (railways). Most prominently, he served as the chairman of Schweizerische Kreditanstalt, between 1883 and 1911. Abegg has been widely considered the richest Swiss citizen at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Ham Page</span> American industrialist (1836–1899)

George Ham Page commonly referred to as General Page was an American industrialist who co-founded the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in 1866, a predecessor of Nestlé. He was primarily active in Switzerland. He was also one of the founders of the Orange County Milk Association in Middletown, New York. He was the grandfather and namesake of alpine skier George Page.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelheid Page</span>

Adelheid Page was a Swiss businesswoman, charity worker and philanthropist. She was married to George Ham Page, co-founder of the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, a predecessor of Nestlé.

References

  1. "Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co". hls-dhs-dss.ch (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  2. George Page, der Milchpionier (in German)
  3. "The Untold Truth Of Nestle". Mashed. 2020-04-02. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  4. http://www.alimentaonline.ch/Wissensarchiv/ArtikelDetail/tabid/249/Article/28120/Default.aspx%5B%5D
  5. "George Page / Nestlé: Der Herr der Büchsen". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  6. Entry in the Commercial Registry (locations), 1883 https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=sha-001%3A1883%3A1%3A%3A907&referrer=search#907
  7. "History of American Business : Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company by US brothers Charles and George Page". History of American Business. 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  8. "NESTLÉ: Its Origin and History". iconsofindianbusiness.com. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  9. "A condensed history". Nestlé Global. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  10. Sen, Sohini (2020-01-27). "Merger of rivals for quick growth". mint. Retrieved 2023-06-20.