The Man Who Gave the World Slim-Fast Has Died

S. Daniel Abraham, the mastermind behind Slim-Fast who transformed a modest family business into a weight-loss empire and shaped American dieting habits, died Sunday in Manhattan at age 100. The New York Times delves into his entrepreneurial journey, which began unremarkably with his decision to join the family company after being discharged from the Army in 1945. They sold a "modestly successful" medical douche called StomAseptine, but things turned around two years later when his father saw an ad for Thompson Medical Company, maker of an anti-itch ointment called San-Cura, and purchased the company for $5,000.

Abraham went from pharmacy to pharmacy selling the ointment and used its success to launch new products including Gas-Tabs, Throat-Aid, and Slim-Mint Gum, which the Times calls "his gateway into the weight-loss industry in 1956." Thompson Medical launched the weight-loss pill Dexatrim in 1976 and, a year later, Slim-Fast, a simple meal replacement powder that later came in a ready-to-drink version. The brand became a staple in the diet industry, benefiting from celebrity endorsements, including Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, and a boost from the 1988 revelation that Oprah Winfrey had lost weight with a similar product. Abraham sold his company to Unilever in 2000 for $2.3 billion, and Forbes recently estimated his wealth at $2.4 billion.

Beyond business, Abraham was active in Middle East politics, forging close ties with leaders including Bill and Hillary Clinton—he was a major donor to her 2016 campaign—and former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He authored memoirs and a book on Middle East peace efforts. He is survived by his wife, six children, 27 grandchildren, and 34 great-grandchildren.