4 million years ago
Trona deposits are formed after the evaporation of great salt lakes in Wyoming USA, as well as in Kenya, Egypt, Venezuela and the deserts of central Asia. These massive deposits will eventually be mined in the production of baking soda.
2500BC
Natron (a natural compound containing 17% sodium bicarbonate) is used by ancient Egyptians to dry and preserve meat, treat wounds, bleach clothing, soften water, remove oil and grease, clean teeth and freshen breath.
1846
John Dwight and his brother-in-law, Dr. Austin Church develop Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda) as a leavening agent for home-baked goods. John Dwight & Company is formed to manufacture and distribute the product.
1865
Dr Church leaves John Dwight & Company to open his own Baking Soda company with his two sons, James Austin Church and Elihu Dwight Church.
1867
Church & Company is formed to meet the growing demand for Baking Soda. The ARM & HAMMER™ trademark, symbolizing the strength of baking soda, shows the arm of Vulcan, the roman god of fire, bringing down his hammer on an anvil.
1874
Church & Co. introduces sodium carbonate-based ARM & HAMMER™ Washing Soda, also known as Sal Soda, for heavier-duty cleaning chores.
1876
John Dwight, looking for a memorable trademark for his packaging chooses Lady Maud, a prize winning Jersey Cow. The cow is a reference to traditional use of Baking Soda and sour milk in home baking. Consumers eventually begin to call it COW BRAND.
1896
After almost 30 years of friendly competition, the descendants of the founders of John Dwight & Company and Church & Co. join forces to form Church & Dwight Company Inc.
1907
Almost a century ahead of it’s time, the company institutes the use of recycled paperboard to package household products.
1927
The first full-page colour magazine ads promote the purity of ARM & HAMMER™ and COW BRAND Baking Soda for multiple kitchen and personal care issues.
1960
New uses for Baking Soda were developed and tailored to changing post-war lifestyles. The multi-use Baking Soda wheel was created to familiarize consumers with the product’s versatility.
1965
After marketing the same product under two brand names for over 60 years, the company consolidates ARM & HAMMER™ and COW BRAND under the ARM & HAMMER™ name.
1970
Church & Dwight is the sole corporate sponsor of the first Earth day in April 1970.
1986
For it’s 100th anniversary on July 4th, the Statue of Liberty’s inner copper walls are cleaned with sodium bicarbonate, which removes 99 years of coal tar without damage to the copper. More than 100 tons of sodium bicarbonate are used in the restoration.
2001
Church & Dwight UK Ltd operation is established with the acquisition of the consumer business Carter Wallace, Inc. and the factory located in Folkestone, Kent, UK. Where Arm & Hammer™ is manufactured until today.
2019
Unveiling of a new dedicated research and development centre in Folkestone, Kent, UK.
All our dental solutions are developed and produced in our state of the art facility in Kent (UK). It hosts a Design Thinking Room, Packaging and Product Lab and a Consumer Testing Centre.
Today
TRUSTED SOLUTION FOR MORE THAN 170 YEARS
Since 1846, Arm & Hammer™ Baking Soda has been the standard of purity, and a trusted household staple in millions of homes across the globe.