J.H._Filbert

J.H. Filbert

J.H. Filbert

Food manufacturer based in Baltimore, Maryland

J.H. Filbert, Inc. was a company based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States that produced margarine and butter substitute products, including Mrs. Filbert's Margarine and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!.

The company was founded by John H. Filbert, who died in 1917. His widow, Martha V. Filbert (and the namesake for Mrs. Filbert's Margarine[1]) then took over as president, and served in that role for over thirty years, until her death in 1954.[2][3]

In 1972, Central Soya acquired the privately owned company, which at that time had reached annual sales of $63 million and was the largest privately owned manufacturer in Baltimore.[4][5] In 1979, Filbert invented I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! and began marketing it in 1981.[6]

Unilever acquired Filbert in 1986 for $23 million in order to add East Coast U.S. manufacturing capacity. It continues to market some Filbert-created products.[7][8][9][10]

References

  1. [1]
    (21 April 1960). Mrs. Filbert Rose To Conquer, Daytona Beach Morning Journal (sample advertisement)
  2. [2]
    (13 October 1954). Mrs. John H. Filbert (obituary), The New York Times
  3. [3]
    (13 October 1954). "Mrs. Filbert Dies At Age 76: Headed Food Products Firm For Over 3 Decades", The Baltimore Sun
  4. [4]
    (31 March 1972). "Filbert to join Central Soya", The Baltimore Sun
  5. [5]
    (4 January 1978). "Alvin B. Filbert, 69, dies; headed margarine firm", The Baltimore Sun
  6. [6]
    Lazarus, George (June 1, 1981). "Filbert can't believe you won't like its new butter blend". Chicago Tribune. ("Filbert has moved into the Syracuse, Albany, and Pittsburgh markets with a one-pound blend called 'I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.'") (subscription required)
  7. [7]
    Shurtleff, William and Akiko Aoyagi Work with Soy - A Special Exhibit - The History of Soy Pioneers Around the World, unpublished manuscript, SoyInfoCenter.com, Central Soya Company (2004)
  8. [8]
    Wyman, Carolyn (2004). Better Than Homemade: Amazing Foods That Changed The Way We Eat. Quirk Books. pp. 50–52. ISBN 1931686424
  9. [9]
    Jones, Geoffrey (2005). Renewing Unilever: Transformation and Tradition. Oxford University Press. pp. 102–03. ISBN 0199269432
  10. [10]
    (27 January 1977). "Filbert's president resigns over move to Fort Wayne, Ind.", The Baltimore Sun ("Walter Scott, Jr.. has resigned as president of JH Filbert, Inc. ...")
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