Case Study
Quality in Practice: Building Trust Through Quality at
Gerber i
The Gerber baby picture -- that accompanies everything from strained carrots and banana cookies to teething rings and diapers -- has developed into one of the most recognizable brand images in the world. According to Gerber, the company received the highest customer loyalty rating out of 3,500 U.S. corporate and product brands, topping companies such as Nike and Coca-Cola. To parents around the world, the Gerber baby means quality, and the Gerber company has long been a leader in using quality tools to uphold its reputation. While Gerber's quality programs have gone through various stages over the years, their goal has remained the same: to make sure consumers continue to see the Gerber baby, which has gone through periodic updatings of its own, as an emblem of excellence. Gerber is the leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of foods and products for children from birth through age 3. The company dominates the U.S. retail baby food market with a 70% share against competitors Heinz and Beechnut, and rings up about $1 billion in annual sales. Gerber employs 6,200 people altogether at its headquarters and main processing plant in Fremont, MI, and its plants in Fort Smith, AR;
Costa Rica; Mexico; Venezuela; and Poland. Together these facilities produce 190 food products -- which are labeled in 16 languages and distributed to more then 80 countries.
Gerber's Baby Care product line (featuring items such as rattles, bottles and eating utensils) was launched in 1960 and currently features some 300 products. This line is largely manufactured in Reedsburg, WI, and China. In 1994, Sandoz Ltd., a pharmaceutical manufacturer, purchased Gerber. The 1996 merger of Sandoz and Ciba
Geigy, also known for producing pharmaceuticals, established the Novartis company.
Located in Basle, Switzerland, Novartis positions Gerber as a primary member of its consumer health division.
The company began in the Gerber
Gerber i
The Gerber baby picture -- that accompanies everything from strained carrots and banana cookies to teething rings and diapers -- has developed into one of the most recognizable brand images in the world. According to Gerber, the company received the highest customer loyalty rating out of 3,500 U.S. corporate and product brands, topping companies such as Nike and Coca-Cola. To parents around the world, the Gerber baby means quality, and the Gerber company has long been a leader in using quality tools to uphold its reputation. While Gerber's quality programs have gone through various stages over the years, their goal has remained the same: to make sure consumers continue to see the Gerber baby, which has gone through periodic updatings of its own, as an emblem of excellence. Gerber is the leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of foods and products for children from birth through age 3. The company dominates the U.S. retail baby food market with a 70% share against competitors Heinz and Beechnut, and rings up about $1 billion in annual sales. Gerber employs 6,200 people altogether at its headquarters and main processing plant in Fremont, MI, and its plants in Fort Smith, AR;
Costa Rica; Mexico; Venezuela; and Poland. Together these facilities produce 190 food products -- which are labeled in 16 languages and distributed to more then 80 countries.
Gerber's Baby Care product line (featuring items such as rattles, bottles and eating utensils) was launched in 1960 and currently features some 300 products. This line is largely manufactured in Reedsburg, WI, and China. In 1994, Sandoz Ltd., a pharmaceutical manufacturer, purchased Gerber. The 1996 merger of Sandoz and Ciba
Geigy, also known for producing pharmaceuticals, established the Novartis company.
Located in Basle, Switzerland, Novartis positions Gerber as a primary member of its consumer health division.
The company began in the Gerber