Kraft Foods was started by James L. Kraft in 1903 in Chicago. Selling cheese door to door, Kraft struggled to make a living in his first year. However, things quickly turned around when he was joined by his brothers to form the J.L. Kraft and Bros. Company in 1909. A mere five years later, the company had expanded to New York City and offered more than thirty varieties of cheese to people all around the US. In 1915, the company created pasteurized processed cheese, which did not require refrigeration; this process was patented in 1916, and the product was a staple in military rations during WWI. Today, Kraft has products on shelves in over 170 countries. Brands include Maxwell House, Cadbury, Nabisco, Philadelphia, Tang, Oscar Mayer and Trident.