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History of Margarine

Although it has been around for over a century, margarine was not always the preferred tablespread in the U.S. In 1930, per capita consumption of margarine was only 2.6 pounds (vs. 17.6 pounds of butter). Times have changed for the better, though. Today, per capita consumption of margarine in the U.S. is 8.3 pounds (including vegetable oil spreads) whereas butter consumption is down to about 4.2 pounds. Research studies have shown that the shift within populations around the world - from the highly saturated fat content of butter to vegetable oil-based margarines - have contributed significantly to the reduced risk of heart disease. Check out the timeline below to learn more about the history or margarine.

1870

Margarine was created by a Frenchman from Provence, France -- Hippolyte Mège-Mouriez -- in response to an offer by the Emperor Louis Napoleon III for the production of a satisfactory substitute for butter. To formulate his entry, Mège-Mouriez used margaric acid, a fatty acid component isolated in 1813 by Michael Chevreul and named because of the lustrous pearly drops that reminded him of the Greek word for pearl -- margarites. From this word, Mège-Mouriez coined the name margarine for his invention that claimed the Emperor’s prize.

1873

An American patent was granted to Mège-Mouriez who intended to expand his French margarine factory and production to the United States. While demand for margarine was strong in northern Europe and the potential equally as promising in the U.S., Mège-Mouriez’s operations nevertheless failed and he died obscurely.

1878

Unilever began manufacturing margarine in Europe.

1871-73

The U. S. Dairy Company in New York City began production of “artificial butter.”

1877

State laws requiring identification of margarine were passed in New York and Maryland as the dairy industry began to feel the impact of this rapidly growing product

1881

Improvements to Mège-Mouriez’s formulation were made; U.S. Dairy created a subsidiary, the Commercial Manufacturing Company, to produce several million pounds annually of this new product.

1885

When a court voided a ban on margarine in New York, dairy militants turned their attention to Washington, resulting in Congressional passage of the Margarine Act of 1886. The Act imposed a tax of two cents per pound on margarine and required expensive licenses for manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of margarine. President Grover Cleveland, from the dairy state of New York, signed the law, describing it as a revenue measure. However, the 1886 law failed to slow the sale of margarine principally because it did not require identification of margarine at the point of sale and margarine adversaries turned their attention back to the states.

1886

More than 30 manufacturing facilities were reported to be engaged in the production of margarine. Among them were Armour and Company of Chicago and Lever Brothers of New York. Seventeen states required the product to be specifically identified as margarine. Various state laws to control margarine were passed in a number of states, but were not enforced. Later that year, New York and New Jersey prohibited the manufacture and sale of yellow-colored margarine.

1902

32 states and 80% of the U.S. population lived under margarine color bans. While the Supreme Court upheld such bans, it did strike down forced coloration (pink) which had begun in an effort to get around the ban on yellow coloring. During this period coloring in the home began, with purveyors providing capsules of food coloring to be kneaded into the margarine. This practice continued through World War II.

1902

Amendments to the Federal Margarine Act raised the tax on colored margarine five-fold, but decreased licensing fees for white margarine. But demand for colored margarine remained so strong, that bootleg colored margarine flourished.

1904

Margarine production suffered and consumption dropped from 120 million pounds in 1902 to 48 million.

1910

Intense pressure by competitors to keep prices low and new product innovations, as well as dairy price increases, returned production levels of margarine back to 130 million pounds. The Federal tax remained despite many efforts to repeal it, but consumption grew gradually in spite of it.

1920

With America’s entry into World War I, the country began to experience a fat shortage and a sharp increase in the cost of living, both factors in driving margarine consumption to an annual per capita level of 3.5 pounds.

1930

The Margarine Act was again amended to place the Federal tax on naturally-colored (darkened with the use of palm oil) as well as artificially-colored margarine. During the Depression dairy interests again prevailed upon the states to enact legislation equalizing butter and margarine prices. Consumers reacted and consumption of margarine dropped to an annual per capita level of 1.6 pounds.

1932

Besides Federal taxes and licenses, 27 states prohibited the manufacture or sale of colored margarine, 24 imposed some kind of consumer tax and 26 required licenses or otherwise restricted margarine sales. The Army, Navy and other Federal agencies were barred from using margarine for other than cooking purposes.

1941

Through production innovations, advertising and improved packaging, margarine consumption regained lost ground. A Federal standard was established recognizing margarine as a spread of its own kind. With raised awareness of margarine’s health benefits from a 1941 National Nutrition Conference, consumers began to take notice of restrictions on margarine that were keeping the product from them and artificially inflating the price.

1943

State taxes on margarine were repealed in Oklahoma. The courts removed color barriers in other states shortly after World War II.

1947

Residual war shortages of butter sent it to a dollar a pound and Margarine Act repeal legislation was offered from many politicians.

1950

Some of the more popular brands prior up until now were Cloverbloom, Mayflower, Mazola, Nucoa, Blue Plate, Mrs. Filbert’s, Parkay, Imperial, Good Luck, Nu-Maid, Farmbelle, Shedd’s Safflower, Churngold, Blue Bonnet, Fleischmann’s, Sunnyland and Table Maid.

1950

Margarine taxes and restrictions became the talk of the country. Finally, following a significant effort by the National Association of Margarine Manufacturers, President Truman signed the Margarine Act of 1950 on March 23 of that year.

1951

The Federal margarine tax system came to an end. Pre-colored margarine was enjoyed by a consumer also pleased with lower prices. Consumption almost doubled in the next twenty years. State color bans, taxes, licenses and other restrictions began to fall.

1960s

The first tub margarine and vegetable oil spreads were introduced to the American public

1967

Wisconsin became the last state to repeal restrictions on margarine.

1996

A bill introduced by Rep. Ed Whitfield would signal an end to the last piece of legislation that adversely affects the sale of margarine. Currently, federal law prohibits the retail sale of margarine in packages larger than one pound, as well as detailed requirements regarding the size and types of labeling of margarine and a color requirement. This new legislation would remove these restrictions from the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). Rep. Whitfield’s bill, the Margarine Equity Act, is part of HR 3200, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reform package and addresses dated requirements that are not applicable to the marketplace.

1998

125th anniversary of the U.S. patent for margarine