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The History
Throughout its rich history, Kaytee Products, has been highly regarded for superior quality, reliable service and innovative new products. Kaytee takes great pride in its leadership and its mission, "to provide the highest quality foods and services for people's enjoyment of birds and other pets."
From a single grain elevator in 1874, shipping several hundred carloads of product per year, to today's nationwide manufacturing and distributing facility, shipping several hundred thousand tons of product per year, Kaytee has become the leader in the bird and small animal industry for the past 125 years.
Kaytee's employees are its greatest resource. Kaytee's employee base has grown from 50 in 1983 to approximately 450 employees. With locations in the agricultural areas of rural Wisconsin and Kansas, to the eastern foothills of Pennsylvania, to the urban communities of southern California, Kaytee people share a strong work ethic and commitment to customer satisfaction.
1866
- Nicholas Knauf managed and eventually started his own grain and feed business in Sheboygan. After the Milwaukee, Lakeshore and Western Railroad built a line to Brillion from Milwaukee, Knauf opened a branch elevator in Brillion. This business sent 500 carloads of wheat per year to the then thriving flourmill town of Milwaukee.
1881
- Nicholas Knauf builds a grain elevator in Chilton. He also moves his headquarters to this county seat.
1892
- William N. Knauf (the 19 yr. old son of Nicholas), Frank Tesch and Milton Jones form a partnership. Under the subsequent ownership of Knauf & Tesch (K&T), the business supplies area farmers with clean, reliable seeds. They purchase the grain elevators from Nicholas Knauf in 1897.
Early 1900's
- Knauf and Tesch expanded the business with a general store, often using the barter system with local farmers. Raw materials such as wheat, peas and field seeds were traded for finished material products like carpet, groceries, and dry goods.
- Setting the pace for feed mills across Wisconsin and Michigan, Knauf and Tesch developed their own farms for researching and testing seeds and grains, and experimenting with modern dairy and hog farming practices.
1923
- Knauf and Tesch became a Wisconsin based corporation.
- Also, in the 1920's, Knauf and Tesch made the move to become a national distributor of dried peas for pigeon feed, and soon began producing bird and small animal foods.
1940's
- These were pioneering years for the wild bird mixes, actually creating the wild bird food category. In 1945, William Engler, Sr. joined the company. Tesch handled the dairy food portion of the business, with Engler managing the wild bird, pet bird, and small animal products.
1950's
- Capitol Airlines carried parakeets as a mascot on every flight and selected Kaytee Parakeet Mixture exclusively to keep their parakeets healthy and happy. This was the beginning of what has continued to be very innovative and creative advertising and marketing for Kaytee.
1960's
- In 1964, William Engler, Sr. purchased Knauf and Tesch, and made the decision to move out of the dairy and hog business and concentrate on bird and pet foods. This visionary leader recognized the growth potential of products that would meet the need of the ever-growing bird feeding hobby and companion pet market.
1970's
- Company name changed to KAYTEE PRODUCTS, INCORPORATED. Building expansion of manufacturing facilities begins, as new bins, warehouse space and manufacturing plants are needed to meet growing customer needs.
1980's
- In 1984, ownership transferred to fourth generation family, the great-grandchildren of Nicholas Knauf - William Engler, Jr., Michael Engler, and Virginia Engler-Duncan.
- This was a time of tremendous growth for Kaytee. Facilities expansion continued. A national sales force was established, computer systems were installed and the employee base expanded.
1990's
- Kaytee Products responds to the needs of today's customers by acquiring facilities strategically located across the country. This national manufacturing and servicing capability allows for the freshest quality products delivered today to every Kaytee customer in the most efficient way possible.
- Kaytee has presence in international markets including Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore and many other foreign countries.
- On May 12, 1993, Bill Engler, Jr. was named Outstanding Small Business Person of the Year by President Clinton "for exemplifying the imagination, initiative, independence, and integrity by which the American small business person makes a total contribution to the nation, the economy and the free enterprise system."
- In November, 1995 an expanded Avian Research Center and 5,000 sq. ft. Kaytee Avian Center has been integrated into Kaytee's philosophy committed to continuing and appreciating our privileged interaction with birds.
- In December of 1997, Kaytee is sold to Central Garden & Pet, a publicly traded manufacturing and distribution company from Lafayette, California.
- Kaytee's new affiliation with other brand leaders and the only national direct store distribution company in the pet industry serves to strengthen relationships, bring new customers and support continued growth of the business.
2000's
- Kaytee's leading research, development and marketing capabilities produce a continual pipeline of nutritionally complete and innovative new pet specialty and wild bird product introductions.
- State of the art barrier packaging, functional package design and structure and investment in improved manufacturing processes add quality and value to the entire range that Kaytee Products produces.
- Today, Kaytee continues its tradition of superior products, and unparalleled service, a tradition firmly rooted in the past and ever looking toward the future.
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