Why Colgate Tried Selling Frozen Beef Lasagna in the 1980s
When you hear the name Colgate, you think toothpaste — not dinner. Yet for decades, an odd story has circulated claiming that Colgate once tried selling frozen beef lasagna in the 1980s. The tale became a classic example of brand overreach, except, it turns out, it’s not entirely true.
The Myth and the Reality
Image via Reddit/BackroomGuy1
The myth began after the Museum of Failure in Sweden displayed a yellow box labeled Colgate Lasagna. The exhibit, which showcases famous flops like Google Glass and Bic pens “for her,” sparked global headlines. However, when Colgate’s lawyers contacted the museum, they said the company had no record of such a product ever being made.
So where did the idea come from? Colgate did try to move into food, not in the 1980s and not with lasagna. In the mid-1960s, the company briefly marketed ready-to-eat meals such as dried chicken and crabmeat dishes, along with a snack called Snapples. These items were tested in Madison, Wisconsin, but were pulled within a year after weak sales.
Why It Flopped Anyway
Even though the lasagna story was exaggerated, the underlying problem was real: people simply couldn’t separate the idea of toothpaste from food. The same logo and red-and-white packaging that inspired trust in oral care made consumers recoil when applied to dinner.
Marketing experts now use the “Colgate lasagna” legend as a cautionary tale. It shows that a strong brand name can backfire when it stretches too far from what people associate it with. In Colgate’s case, the lesson was simple — mint and meat don’t mix.