A1 Steak Sauce
Encyclopedia
Steak sauce
Steak sauce —brown sauce —is a generic term for a dark brown sauce commonly served as a condiment for meat.The two terms are similar but not identical...
and condiment
Condiment
A condiment is an edible substance, such as sauce or seasoning, added to food to impart a particular flavor, enhance its flavor, or in some cultures, to complement the dish. Many condiments are available packaged in single-serving sachets , like mustard or ketchup, particularly when supplied with...
for use with meat or game dishes. It was developed in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as a brand in the year 1831 and was later introduced to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by G.F. Heublein and (&) Bros., and was officially registered as a trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
in North America in 1895.
History and ownership
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
to King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Legend has it that the king declared it "A1" and the name was born. It went into commercial production under the Brand & Co. label in 1831, and continued production under this label after bankruptcy forced ownership of Brand & Co. to be transferred to W.H. Withall in 1850. It was renamed A1 in 1873, after a trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
dispute between creator Henderson William Brand and Dence & Mason, who had since purchased Brand & Co. from Withall. It was then introduced to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1895 under the ownership of G.F. Heublein & Brothers. In 1931, A1 was introduced to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
It was to be found on all tables in J Lyons Corner Houses and restaurants throughout the UK until they were closed en-masse in the 1980s.
Heublein was acquired by R. J. Reynolds in 1982, which merged with Nabisco in 1985 to form RJR Nabisco
RJR Nabisco
RJR Nabisco, Inc., was an American conglomerate formed in 1985 by the merger of Nabisco Brands and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. RJR Nabisco was purchased in 1988 by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co...
. In 1999, Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
acquired Nabisco, including the A1 brand.
In 2000, the A1 line of marinades was launched, representing the first expansion of the trademark.
Rock musician and singer Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
has appeared in a TV commercial for the product, to promote its new slogan: "A1 - Makes beef sing." In the commercial, the slogan is "Makes Meat Loaf sing," and he sings a very small excerpt from his hit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That)
"I'd Do Anything for Love " is a song composed and written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by Meat Loaf. The song was released in 1993 as the first single from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. The title of the song confused some listeners, who were curious to know what "that" is...
" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSAa9FgTBSg.
Legal action
A1 was the subject of a trademark dispute between then owners Nabisco and “Arnie’s Deli”, which was producing its own recipe condiment under the name “A2 Sauce”. In 1991, Connecticut District Court found in favor of Nabisco.Advertising
Some slogans for A1 include:- "Don't cover it. Discover it, with A1." (1980s)
- "Great Steak! Great fun! A1!" (1981)
- "A1 makes hamburgers taste like steakburgers." (early 1980s)
- "A1. How Steak is Done." (1990s)
- "A1. Yeah, it's that important." (early-mid 2000s)
- "A1: Makes beef sing." (current)