User:Vchimpanzee/Kal Kan Foods

Kal Kan Foods was a manufacturer, importer and exporter of pet food headquartered near Los Angeles.

The company began as Stirling Packing Company, owned by a man who owned thoroughbred race horses. It began making pet food in 1936. From 1952 to 1997, the Vernon, California plant was the only union plant. Forrest Mars started the pet food industry in Europe, and his Mars Candy Company bought Kal Kan. Forrest Mars changed the name of Kal Kan dog food to Pedigree, and Mealtime to Pedigree Mealtime. Although Kal Kan was perceived as a dog food brand, the company's cat food was very popular. That changed when Mars changed Kal Kan cat food to Whiskas and Crave to Whiskas Dry. The slogan became "The cat food your cat prefers is now called Whiskas."

Still, Kal Kan lost half its market share after the change. The company improved its products and changed its advertising, adding comments from cat owners. In 1990, the company introduced premium quality Whiskas Select. As of 1991, Mars controlled 60 percent of the pet food market, both in volume and value. Whiskas was the number one brand.

In 1993, Expert brand dog food became a competitor to Hill's Science Diet and Iams, and Whiskas Expert Diet for cats. Expert was sold in supermarkets, even though similar foods were normally sold by veterinarians and pet stores. The Expert brand was a failure even though Kal Kan pushed hard. Also in 1993, Kal Kan introduced the lactose-free Whiskas Ultramilk, made from flavored malt. Snack foods included Whiskas Crunch for cats and Pedigree Dentabone, Snackos and Tandem for dogs.

As of 1994, Mars was the leading pet food company worldwide with $4 billion in sales. In 1996, Pedigree added varieties for dogs of different ages, including puppy food. In 1997, Whiskas improved its Senior Dry Cat Food for older cats. A new type of Whiskas Dry Cat Food included Vitalife, a nutritional formula endorsed by Waltham Centre for Pet Care and Nutrition.

Kal Kan branded dog food appears prominently in the opening sequence of the 1985 American movie Back to the Future, prior to changing the name three years later.