Skippy (peanut butter)
| Jars of Skippy peanut butter | |
| Product type | Peanut butter |
|---|---|
| Owner | Hormel |
| Country | U.S. |
| Introduced | 1933 |
| Markets | U.S. |
| Previous owners | Unilever Bestfoods CPC International Best Foods Rosefield Packing Co. |
| Tagline | "Skippy! Yippee!" |
| Website | www |
Skippy is a brand of peanut butter manufactured in the USA. First sold in 1933, Skippy is currently manufactured by Hormel Foods, which bought the brand from Unilever in 2013.
It is the best-selling brand of peanut butter in China and second only to The J.M. Smucker Company's Jif brand worldwide.[1]
History
"Skippy" was first used as a trademark for peanut butter by the Rosefield Packing Co., Ltd., of Alameda, California, in 1933. Percy Crosby, creator of the "Skippy" comic strip, had the trademark invalidated in 1934, but Rosefield persisted. Its successor companies, most recently Unilever and Hormel, claim rights to the trademark over the objection of Crosby's heirs. There has been much litigation on this point over the decades, some of which has continued into the 2000s.[2]
Skippy comes in many different sizes, including a 4-pound (1.8 kg) jar, known as the "Family Jar". In late 2008, Skippy reduced their standard jar size from 18 ounces (510 g) to 16.3 ounces (460 g) by adding a "dimple" in the bottom of the jar while retaining the jar's height and diameter.[3]
Production
Skippy has factories in Little Rock, Arkansas[4] and Shandong Province, China.[1]
Advertising
Skippy has used several cartoon and celebrity spokespeople in its advertising, including Dennis the Menace, Annette Funicello and speed skater Bonnie Blair.[citation needed] A cartoon squirrel is featured on the packaging in Canada, as an homage to the Squirrel brand of peanut butter that was acquired by Unilever in June 2000.
References
External links
- Skippy Peanut Butter official website
- Skippy Peanut Butter Commercial (1958) from Youtube.com (Commercial Describing Skippy History)
