J.H. Filbert

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. (21 April 1960). Mrs. Filbert Rose To Conquer, Daytona Beach Morning Journal (sample advertisement)
  2. (13 October 1954). Mrs. John H. Filbert (obituary), The New York Times
  3. (13 October 1954). "Mrs. Filbert Dies At Age 76: Headed Food Products Firm For Over 3 Decades", The Baltimore Sun
  4. (31 March 1972). "Filbert to join Central Soya", The Baltimore Sun
  5. (4 January 1978). "Alvin B. Filbert, 69, dies; headed margarine firm", The Baltimore Sun
  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. Shurtleff, William and Akiko Aoyagi Work with Soy - A Special Exhibit - The History of Soy Pioneers Around the World, unpublished manuscript, SoyInfoCenter.com, Central Soya Company (2004)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. Wyman, Carolyn (2004). Better Than Homemade: Amazing Foods That Changed The Way We Eat. Quirk Books. pp. 50–52. ISBN 1931686424
  9. Jones, Geoffrey (2005). Renewing Unilever: Transformation and Tradition. Oxford University Press. pp. 102–03. ISBN 0199269432
  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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