 | |
| Industry | Food |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1945; 80 years ago (1945) |
| Products | Margarine, spreads, side dishes, mashed potatoes, pasta |
| Owner | Flora Food Group |
Country Crock is a food brand owned byFlora Food Group. It originally sold spreads such asmargarine (andcheese for a limited time), but later extended to side dishes, particularlymashed potatoes andpasta, made byHormel under license.
The original Shedd's brand was a product of Shedd-Bartush Foods based in Detroit. It made and marketed margarine (beginning in 1945)[1] and Shedd's peanut butter as well as salad dressing andprune juice.[2] It merged in 1959 withBeatrice Foods[3] before they sold the Shedd's business toUnilever in 1984 following Beatrice's merger withEsmark. The peanut butter business was sold to Algood Food Company.[4]
During the 1980s and 1990s, a series of commercials for the brand's margarine featured a married couple sitting at their dinner table while talking about the spread, with only their hands ever being seen. The voice of the wife was provided by Casey DeFranco while the husband's voice was provided by actorJack Riley, who is best known for playing Elliot Carlin onThe Bob Newhart Show.
As of July 2015, Shedd's Country Crock changed the recipe to remove preservatives and artificial flavors.
In 2022, Country Crock was the subject of a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company misleads consumers with its labeling and advertising.[5]