Tupperware's reliance on people selling its storage containers at home-and-garden parties or through social media was once its strength. Now it's a weakness, the company says in its bankruptcy filing.

Tupperware Brands filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, after years of struggling with poor demand for its food storage containers and rising financial losses. Here's a look at some of the key moments in the journey of the brand that was once the mainstay of American kitchens: 1940's The company is named after chemist Earl Tupper,