After selling the Ant Farms via mail order for six months with much success, Milt and Joe started to attract interest from retailers who wanted to get in on the success of the Ant Farms by selling them in stores. However, there was a problem. How would the ants survive inside a package that could potentially sit inside a warehouse for months? The solution was as simple as their slogan that is still used today, “You Take the Farm, We Mail the Ants.”
The retail version of the Ant Farm included the same farm-themed habitat but with a “stock certificate” inside so the purchaser could send it in to obtain a supply of live ants to stock the farm. The stock certificate also relieved the consumer of the chore of collecting ants themselves.
Soon Ant Farms were being sold everywhere, including toy stores, department stores, hardware stores, pet stores and, of course, mail order catalogs. In 1966, Milt bought out Joe’s interest and renamed the company Uncle Milton Industries.
Half Century of Success Built on Ants
Today, more than 20 million Ant Farms have been sold around the world. The product has become a treasured part of American culture, having been recognized as one of the Top 100 Toys of the Century by the Toy Industry Association as well as garnering considerable media attention through the years.
To commemorate the Ant Farm’s 50th “ant-iversary,” two new Ant Farm habitats are being developed for 2006. Uncle Milton is introducing a collectible Limited Edition Vintage Ant Farm® that consists of a gold classic Ant Farm packaged in the original 1950s-era box. The company is also introducing a futuristic gel version called the Ant Farm® Gel Colony™.
Even today, Uncle Milton Industries remains a family-owned enterprise. I joined the business in 1978 and took over as president in 1989. The company is proud of its rich heritage and remains committed to bringing creative and innovative toys to kids and parents around the world. Some of today’s popular offerings from Uncle Milton Industries are Star Theater®, 3-D Adventure Projector™, R/C Snake™, Shadow Magic™, Planet Frog®, Hermit Crab Cove™, Jet Hawks® Air Powered Gliders, T-Rex Battle™, and P-Brains™, as well as classic Ant Farm®, Giant Ant Farm®, Ant Farm Village® and Extreme Ant Farm®.
Back in 1956, Milt probably never thought selling ants would put his three kids through college, and Joe probably never thought he would write a best seller about how to make a million dollars in mail order, but sometimes all it takes to find the big idea is to pay attention to the small stuff… like ants!
