Our History

Early 1900s

1903

• Harry C. Moores and Stanley M. Ross founded the Moores & Ross Milk Company in Columbus, Ohio.

1925

• Moores and Ross took the daring step of producing and marketing milk-based infant formula — a new concept at the time. The product was originally known as Franklin Infant Food.

1927

• Dr. Morris Fishbein, editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggested the name of the formula be changed to Similac®.

1928

• The company was renamed M&R Dietetic Laboratories.

1950s

1951

• Similac® Concentrated Liquid, the first infant formula available in a form other than powder in the United States, was introduced. It soon became the most popular product in the United States infant-formula market.
• The first Ross Conference on Pediatric Research was held.

1952

• The first issue of Pediatric Currents (then called Currents in Infant Care) was mailed.

1954

• The first issue of Nursing Currents was mailed.

1956

• M & R Dietetic Laboratories created a new division, Ross Laboratories, to continue the development of Similac infant formulas.

1959

• Ross introduced Similac® With Iron, the first iron-fortified infant formula in the United States. It came in both powder and concentrated liquid forms. Today, iron-fortified formula is the preferred source of nutrition during the first year of life if breastfeeding is not chosen.

1960s

1961

• Similac® expanded to overseas production with a new plant in the Netherlands.

1962

• For infants with special medical conditions, Similac® PM 60/40, a reduced-mineral formulation relative to Similac, was introduced.

1963

• Similac® 20, the first prebottled, presterilized system in the United States for feeding babies in hospitals, was introduced. This Ross system included hospital discharge packs.

1964

• Ross merged with Abbott Laboratories, one of the world's largest health care corporations.

1965

• Vi-Daylin®* vitamins for infants, children, and adults were introduced.

1966

• A soy protein isolate formula, Isomil®, was introduced to meet infant feeding needs.
• Pedialyte® began distribution in the United States as the first ready-to-feed oral electrolyte solution.

1970s

1971

• Advance®*, the first feeding specifically designed for older infants, was introduced in the United States.

1973

• Ross introduced Ensure®, the first lactose-free medical nutritional product in the United States.

1974

• Polycose®, a source of carbohydrate calories for people who need extra calories, was introduced.

1975

• This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Ross Conference on Pediatric Research. More than 2,000 physicians and other medical professionals, including several Nobel Prize winners, had participated during the years in this series.

1977

• Ensure Plus®, a line extension of the Ensure brand with concentrated calories and high protein, was introduced.

1978

• Osmolite®, an isotonic, low-residue oral enteral formula, and Vital® HN were introduced. Vital® HN is a powdered elemental formula that provides nutritionally complete feeding for patients with gastrointestinal problems.
• Similac® LBW 24* was introduced to meet the special needs of premature and low-birth-weight infants.

1979

• Pediazole® (erythromycin ethylsuccinate and sulfisoxazole acetyl for oral suspension), used for treatment of middle ear infection due to susceptible strains of H. influenza, received FDA approval and was introduced the following year.

1980s

1980

• The Flexiflo®* enteral device delivery system was introduced.

1981

• RCF® (Ross Carbohydrate Free) formula was introduced for children who have problems absorbing carbohydrates.

1982

• Flexiflo®-II* was introduced in hospitals as a low-cost portable device for feeding liquid nutritional products to patients. Flexiflo®-III was introduced two years later.

1985

• Pulmocare®, the first enteral nutrition product in the United States designed for patients with pulmonary disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), was introduced.
• Similac Natural Care®, a liquid breast-milk fortifier to bolster the nutritional intake of breastfed premature infants, was introduced.

1986

• ProMod®* was introduced as a concentrated protein source for people with increased protein needs.

1987

• The Forta®* line of vitamin-fortified nutritional supplements was introduced.
• Jevity®, now Jevity® 1 CAL, an isotonic, fiber-fortified, high-nitrogen liquid formula, entered the market, representing the latest innovation in tube-feeding products.

1988

• The CompanionTM Enteral Pump, a small, lightweight, and portable design for ambulatory use, was introduced.
• PediaSure® was introduced to bridge the gap between the specialized feeding needs of infants and adults.
• Similac® Special Care® With Iron was the first iron-fortified formula for premature and low-birth-weight infants introduced in the United States.

1989

• Alimentum® was introduced as a hydrolyzed protein formula to be fed to infants who have gastrointestinal or other diseases that require a formula with predigested protein.
• Glucerna®, a disease-specific nutritional product formulated for patients with abnormal glucose tolerance, was introduced.
• Fibrad,* a fiber supplement that could be mixed with enteral medical nutritionals or food to increase dietary fiber, was introduced.

1990s

1990

• Replena, now called Suplena® with Carb SteadyTM, was introduced for renal patients.

1991

• Survanta® (beractant) intratracheal suspension, used in the prevention and treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants, was introduced.
• Also introduced were Nepro®, a nutritional product for dialysis patients; AlitraQ®*, a formula for metabolic stress that contains glutamine; and Promote®, a high-protein formula.

1992

• The Ross Metabolic Formula System was introduced. The QuantumTM Enteral Pump was designed to provide an optional automatic flush to reduce tube clogging — a major complication of tube feeding.
• Perative®, a nutritional product for metabolically stressed patients, was added to the disease-specific medical nutritional line.
• Aseptic processing and packaging of medical nutritional products was implemented.

1993

• The Similac® Welcome Addition Club® was launched to provide expectant and new parents with educational materials on infant nutrition.
• Advera®*, supplemental or sole-source nutrition for people with HIV and/or AIDS, was introduced.

1994

• Similac NeoCare, now Similac® NeoSure®, was introduced as the first formula in the United States to address the nutritional needs of premature infants after hospital discharge.
• Ensure® High Protein, an oral supplement for people who need extra protein and nutrition in their diet, was introduced.
• Promote® With Fiber was introduced. This high-protein formula is similar to Promote but also contains fiber.

1995

• The Immunization Outreach Project was launched to remind parents and physicians about the importance of immunizing infants by age 2.

1996

• Jevity® 1.2 CAL, a high-nitrogen and fiber-fortified liquid formula containing fructooligosaccharides (FOS), was introduced, along with Pedialyte® Freezer Pops and Ensure® Light*.
• The Ensure Health Connection® program was developed to help consumers make informed nutritional choices.

1997

• The B.E.S.T. (Breastfeeding Education Support and Training) Program was introduced to support health care providers with materials, products, and training to improve breastfeeding success.
• The Ensure 32-fl-oz aseptic bottle was launched. Ensure® Nutrition Bars* — Complete, Balanced Nutrition® in a new form — were introduced.

1998

• Six new products were introduced:
  • Oxepa® nutritional support for ARDS (adult respiratory distress syndrome)
  • Optimental®, for people with malabsorption conditions
  • Enlive!® clear liquid diet
  • The pediatric elemental product EleCare®
  • Ensure® High Calcium
  • Similac® Lactose Free (renamed Similac SensitiveTM in 2007)

1999

• Glucerna® Shakes, Glucerna® Snack Bars, and Health Source® Soy Protein Shake* were launched.
• Ross scientists overcame significant hurdles to introduce Similac® With Iron Ready To Feed formula in a 32-fl-oz aseptic bottle. This design won the Industrial Design Excellence Award the following year.

2000s

2000

• Similac® Human Milk Fortifier and the Companion ClearStarTM pump were introduced.
• Ross began national distribution of an innovative 32-fl-oz, reclosable plastic bottle for Isomil®.

2001

• Ross introduced Similac® and Isomil® singles, 4-fl-oz, single-serve powder packets for easy bottle preparation.

2002

• ProSure®, a specially formulated nutritional product to promote weight gain in cancer patients, was introduced.
• Similac® Advance® With Iron, an iron-fortified infant formula supplemented with DHA and ARA, was launched.

2003

• Ross introduced an 8-fl-oz, reclosable plastic bottle for Ensure® nutritionals, a first in the adult nutritional category.
• Ross acquired ZonePerfect® Nutrition Company, a leading marketer of nutrition bars and other products for active people.
• Glucerna® Weight Loss Shakes were introduced. They are the first weight loss shakes specifically designed for people with diabetes.

2004

• Ross acquired Juven®, therapeutic nutrition containing a patented blend of three unique ingredients — arginine, glutamine, and beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) — clinically shown to help reduce muscle breakdown and build muscle tissue.
• Ross purchased a nutrition bar manufacturing plant in Fairfield, California.
• Ross acquired EAS®, a Colorado-based nutrition company with a strong portfolio of brands including EAS®, AdvantEDGE®, Myoplex®, and Body-for-LIFETM.
• Ross partnered with Working Mother Media to launch Business Backs BreastfeedingTM, designed to help companies more effectively support mothers who continue to breastfeed after returning to work.

2005

• Ensure® extended its product line with the launch of Ensure Healthy MomTM* shakes and snack bars, specifically designed to meet the unique nutritional needs of pregnant women, nursing moms, and women who plan to become pregnant.
• Muscle ArmorTM, an EAS brand, was launched.

2006

• PediaSure® introduced a line of smart, nutritious snacks for kids: NutriPalsTM Balanced Nutrition bars and drinks are a good source of protein; plus, they contain more than 20 vitamins and minerals.
• PediaSure® Enteral Formulas introduced the first-ever 500 mL closed feeding system for pediatric tube feeding — PediaSure® Enteral Formula Ready-To-Hang®.
• Vital jr.TM was launched. This therapeutic semi-elemental formula is scientifically designed to meet the special needs of children ages 1 to 13 years with malabsorption, maldigestion, and other GI conditions.
• Similac® Organic was launched. It is the first certified USDA organic infant formula from a major formula brand.
• Similac® Special Care® 30 is the first to market with a 30 Cal RTF formula for preterm infants.
• Similac® offers the first convenient mixing system for providing a variety of calorically dense NICU feedings — the Similac® Special Care® Liqui-MixTM System.

2007

• Glucerna® introduced an expanded line of products, including a new breakfast cereal formulated specifically for people with diabetes, improved shakes in reclosable bottles, and a new line of snack shakes and mini-snack bars, which provides in-between meal options that help to manage blood sugar spikes.
• The Similac® family of formulas launched two milk-based lactose-free formulas, Similac SensitiveTM and Similac Sensitive R.S.TM, along with Go & GrowTM, a formula developed for older babies. With the addition of these products, Ross now has one of the broadest lines of products in the infant formula industry.
• The EAS® ChampionsTM Bar, a balanced, all-natural nutrition bar to support active kids' level of physical activity, was introduced.
• Ross Products becomes Abbott Nutrition.

*Denotes products that are no longer available