Kraft Food Group is an American food company that dates back to 1903. James L. Kraft launched Kraft in 1903 as a humble cheese company based in Chicago, but it became a retail distribution company over time. J. L Kraft Bros & Co was incorporated in 1909. In 1916, Kraft patented a cheese pasteurizing process and introduced several ways to ship cheese long distances without requiring refrigeration, making it an invaluable product during the World Wars. Kraft cheese was used in American Soldiers’ ration packs. Kraft also produced cheese for allied soldiers in Europe and Great Britain. Overall, Kraft’s processed cheese was instrumental in nourishing the war effort.
Since the end of the World Wars, Kraft Bros & Co has merged and changed a lot, changing from Kraft Bros to Kraft Cheese Co then later buying the creators of Philadelphia cream cheese and merging into Kraft-Phenix Cheese company. Kraft-Phenix then merged with National Dairy before changing their name back to Kraft Co in 1968 then to Kraft, Inc in 1976. In 2012, Kraft Foods split into two. The international branch (Mondelez International Inc) and the North American branch (Kraft Foods Group).
Kraft Food Group owns numerous brands; one of the most well-known is Velveeta and other cheese brands like Cracker Barrel, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and Polly-O. Kraft’s other famous non-cheese products include Jell-O, Kool-Aid, Maxwell House, and Crystal Light. Kraft Heinz has 38,000 employees in over 40 countries and $25 billion in net sales as of 2019. Some of the charitable projects they partake in include the United Nations Global Compact and the CEO Water project.
Popular Kraft trademarks
As we’ve already established, Kraft has an impressive catalog of trademarks owned via acquisitions or trademark registration. Let’s look at some of the most popular Kraft Foods Group brands LLC trademarks.
Jell-O
The rights to the Jell-O brand name belong to Kraft, as they acquired Jell-O via a merger with Jell-O’s parent company (General Foods) in the early 1990s. Jell-O’s brand name was first used in e-commerce in 1897 and officially registered with the USPTO in 1928.
The wordmark applies to the following categories:
- Gelatin dessert
- Toys, including toy food molding kits with gelatin-based dessert molds
- Molds and cutters to be used for shaping gelatin
- Dessert mixes consist primarily of cheesecake, pie, or pudding
- Cheesecake
Miracle Whip
Miracle Whip is a popular food product/condiment sold throughout North America and is often used in place of mayonnaise, as it has a lower fat content. It was created in 1933 as a cheaper alternative to mayonnaise but remains popular today. The registration date for this wordmark was in 1997 and applied to this category:
- Salad dressing
Kraft
The word ‘Kraft’ has been a central part of the brand for many years and was officially registered in 1952. The wordmark applies to these categories:
- Salad dressing
- Grated cheese
- Sauce for salad, seafood, and meat
- Pasteurized cheeses
- Horseradish
- Stuffing mixes
- Rice
- Boxed pasta
- Tartar sauce and steak sauces
- Edible oils and sandwich spread
- Olives
- Sweet pickle radish
- Sodium caseinate and whey protein
- Bottled or canned fruit, mainly grapefruit
- Livestock and poultry
- Egg custard mix
- Canned peas
- Chicken salad
- Instant mashed potato
- Chocolate powder
- Chiffon pie filling
Philadelphia Kraft
Philadelphia cream cheese is a popular product that is sold worldwide. It’s also one of Kraft’s oldest brands, having initially launched in the late 1800s. The trademark application for Philadelphia Kraft was made in 1990 and covers this category:
- Cream cheese, Neufchatel cheese, and pasteurized process cream cheese product
Kraft logo
The Kraft logo, which features ”Kraft” written in bold font in a square border, was registered in 1976 after its first use in 1963. The registered trademark covers these categories:
- Cheese, including spreads, processed, and grated cheese
- Mayonnaise and salad dressings and the mixes for making them
- Dairy/vegetable-based whipped toppings
- Peanuts and peanut byproducts such as shelled peanuts and peanut spreads
- Marshmallows
- Preserved and frozen vegetables
- Dinners (meals and salads)
- Dried egg whites
- Pasta, including macaroni
- Candy and confectionery
- Syrup
- Tartar
- Barbecue
- Cocktail and horseradish sauces
- Salt and pepper
- Cocoa
- Mustard and ketchup
- Cake and pancake mixes
- Animal feed
- Malted milk
- Crackers, cookies, and wafers
- Breadsticks
- Animal feed
- Citrus juices and vegetable use
- Bases for flavored soft drinks
Read more on trademarking a logo
Lunchables
Lunchables are a food and snack brand produced by Kraft, the registration date for this trademark was in 1988 and applies to these categories:
- Processed meats
- Packaged combination of meat, cheese, and crackers with or without a dessert
- Packaged combinations composed primarily of crackers and desserts, namely, candy, bakery goods, trail mix, and pudding with meat and cheese
Kool-Aid
Kool-Aid is a Kraft brand specializing in selling powdered drinks you make at home. Kool-Aid is a popular treat for people of all ages across North America. The trademark for Kool-Aid was registered in 1980 (following first use in the 1920s) and applies to the following categories:
- Powders and concentrated syrups
- Beverages, namely, soft drinks, soft drink mixes, powders, syrups, or concentrates for making soft drinks
- Edible candy
- Toy and action figures
- Promotional shirts and clothing
Grey Poupon
Grey Poupon offers whole-grain and Dijon mustards. The US rights to the brand were first bought by the Heublein company, which later sold the rights to Kraft Foods. Grey Poupon remained relatively unpopular until a change in American tastes in the late 70s caused a surge in popularity. The first use of Grey Poupon was in 1901, but Kraft wouldn’t acquire the trademark rights until 2016. The wordmark is only valid in one category:
- Mustard products
Shake N Bake
Shake N Bake is one of Krafts most well-loved brands, offering excellent seasoning mixes and coatings for a variety of meats and dishes; you just put raw meat into a bag and shake it, then bake it as per package instructions. It was subject to an extensive advertising campaign and is a highly recognizable product. The trademark for Shake N Bake was registered in 1996 in these categories:
- Seasoned coatings for meat and seafood
- General seasoning mixes
Cheez Whiz
Cheez Whiz is one of Kraft Foods’ dominant processed cheese brands. It was developed by food scientist Edwin Traisman and released in the 50s by Kraft. It is used for toppings for all kinds of foods, including the famous Philly Cheesesteak. It usually comes in a glass jar and is orange in color. The trademark for Cheeze Whiz was registered in 1964 after first use in 1952 and applies to the following categories:
- Processed cheese spread
- Pasteurized process cheese sauce
Wrapping up
Kraft Foods Inc sells thousands of products worldwide, from their trademark Kraft Mac N Cheese to Shake N Bake chicken seasonings and everything in between. With so much intellectual property and branding to protect, it won’t come as a surprise to anyone that Kraft is a prolific trademark owner, with over 250 currently active trademarks as of 2022.
