COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 42221

Drugs, Drug Proprietaries, and Druggists' Sundries Wholesalers

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

22companies1881–1993founding years18still active4no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedEli Lilly and Company
1881
FoundedKanebo, Ltd.
1887
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedCoty, Inc.
1922
FoundedMerck & Co., Inc.
1927
1928
TechnologyPenicillin is discovered, opening the age of antibiotics.
FoundedWall Drug Store, Inc.
1931
FoundedGrupo Casa Saba, S.A. de C.V.
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedAlberto-Culver Company
1955
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedAllou Health & Beauty Care, Inc.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedAffiliated Foods Inc.
1968
FoundedCardinal Health, Inc.FoundedNBTY, Inc.
1971
FoundedTree of Life, Inc.
1972
FoundedSigma-Aldrich Corporation
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedCaremark Rx, Inc.
1979
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedAmerisourceBergen CorporationFoundedEnrich International, Inc.FoundedNeighborCare, Inc.
1985
FoundedAtkins Nutritionals, Inc.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Eli Lilly and Company →
Active · founded 1881
Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets ethical drugs (those requiring a doctor's…
Kanebo, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1887 · Japan
Kanebo, Ltd.
Coty, Inc. →
Active · founded 1922
Coty, Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc. →
Active · founded 1927
Merck & Co., Inc.
Wall Drug Store, Inc. →
Active · founded 1931
Wall Drug Store, Inc.
Associated Grocers, Incorporated →
Active · founded 1934
Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Associated Grocers, Incorporated, is a retailer-owned cooperative that…
Grupo Casa Saba, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1937 · Mexico
Grupo Casa Saba, S.A.
Alberto-Culver Company →
Defunct · founded 1955
Alberto-Culver Company markets a range of toiletry, grocery, and household brands.
Allou Health & Beauty Care, Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
Allou Health & Beauty Care, Inc.
Affiliated Foods Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1968
Affiliated Foods Inc., headquartered in Amarillo, Texas, is a grocers' cooperative provisioning over 700 independent,…
Akorn, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
Akorn, Inc.
Cardinal Health, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
Named for Ohio's crimson state bird, Cardinal Health, Inc., ranks among America's top wholesale drug distributors, with…
NBTY, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
NBTY, Inc.
Tree of Life, Inc. →
Active · founded 1972
Tree of Life, Inc.
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1975
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation is a developer, manufacturer, and distributor of a wide range of biochemicals, organic…
Caremark Rx, Inc. →
Active · founded 1979
Caremark Rx, Inc.
Omnicare, Inc. →
Active · founded 1981
Omnicare, Inc.
AmerisourceBergen Corporation →
Active · founded 1985
AmerisourceBergen Corporation is one of the largest pharmaceutical services companies in the United States.
Enrich International, Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1985
Enrich International, Inc.
NeighborCare, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
NeighborCare, Inc.
Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.
Mannatech Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
Mannatech Inc.
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