Donnell Manufacturing Company was founded in 1888, selling liniments and patent medicines. In the 1890's Dr. Donnell bought a prize-winning formula for egg dye from Europe and launched the White Rabbit Dye brand. Donnell Manufacturing registered the trademark for White Rabbit Dye in 1894.

By 1910, egg sales were so good that Donnell dropped the rest of it's product lines and re-incorporated as the White Rabbit Dye Company. Sales then went beyond the Easter season and White Rabbit was used in cakes, cookies, and drinks.

When Leonard Jaeger and his partner Mr. Berg, bought the company in 1934, the Depression was having an effect on White Rabbit as it had all over the country. Determined to survive the times, Mr. Jaeger devised sales displays and ads along with costumed White Rabbit "bunnies" that would appear at numerous events, in pictures, displays and in store promotions. Sales increased in the original office St. Louis, as well as Chicago and New York.

The company changed hands in 1976 and again in 1988, with the home office remaining in St. Louis, and the dye being distributed nationwide under the new owners. The traditional coin sized packets, filled with Easter colors and a wire egg dipper, are sold to many grocery, food and drug store chains.

Our purpose remains the same today, to bring color to families during this very special Easter season and throughout the year. Recently White Rabbit Dye Company has embarked on a mission to resurrect the company's historic Easter egg kit sales while growing and expanding bulk food color sales.

White Rabbit colors just about anything and is a safe, non-toxic, economical and easy to use food color. There must be a reason why it is still sold today. Try it and see!

With new owners again In 2003, White Rabbit Dye Company is re-energized with the desire to restore the egg dye business in the tradition of the founders, and to build on the company's manufacturing capabilities.

Sales are all year round now, with Easter still the main thrust of White Rabbit. Our colors, either prepackaged in small zip-lock bags, or in bulk, sell throughout the year to craft companies, educational toy manufactures, and paint and ink companies

There are many industrial uses for White Rabbit including beautifully coloring water in pools and fountains. In fact, White Rabbit dyes just about anything. Safe, economical, easy to use, and still around, since 1888.