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Kellanova

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Kellanova
FormerlyBattle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company (1906–1909)
Kellogg Toasted Corn Flake Company (1909–1922)
Kellogg Company (1922–2023)
Company typePublic
Template:Ublist
IndustryFood processing
PredecessorKellogg's
Founded
  • February 19, 1906; 120 years ago (1906-02-19) in Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.
  • October 2, 2023; 3 years ago (2023-10-02) (as Kellanova)
FounderWill Keith Kellogg
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Steven Cahillane (chairman & CEO)
ProductsTemplate:Ublist
BrandsTemplate:Ublist
RevenueDecrease US$12.7 billion (2024)
Increase US$1.87 billion (2024)
Increase US$1.34 billion (2024)
Total assetsIncrease US$15.6 billion (2024)
Total equityIncrease US$3.78 billion (2024)
OwnersTemplate:Ublist
Number of employees
c. 24,000 (2024)
Websitekellanova.com

Kellanova, previously known as the Kellogg Company, is a multinational food producer based in Chicago, Illinois. The company adopted its new name on October 2, 2023, coinciding with the separation of its North American cereal division into a distinct firm named WK Kellogg Co. Kellanova specializes in snack and convenience foods such as crackers, toaster pastries, and cereals, offering well-known brands including Kellogg's, Rice Krispies Treats, Pringles, Eggo, and Cheez-It. Its cereal products like Corn flakes, Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes, and Coco Pops are marketed internationally beyond North America.

With operations spanning more than 180 countries, Kellanova’s primary manufacturing plant and UK headquarters are situated at Trafford Park in Greater Manchester.[1] Additional offices are located in Battle Creek, Dublin (serving as the European headquarters), Shanghai, and Querétaro City, Mexico.<ref> The company formerly held a Royal Warrant from Queen Elizabeth II until her death in 2022.

The restructuring in October 2023 divided Kellanova’s global snacking and international cereal segments from WK Kellogg Co’s North American cereal business. This move was designed to sharpen each entity’s strategic focus ahead of an anticipated acquisition by Ferrero. Both companies continue to utilize the "Kellogg's" brand.

In August 2024, Mars Inc., the parent company of M&M's and Snickers, announced plans to purchase Kellanova for nearly $30 billion, representing a major consolidation within the worldwide snack food industry.

History

In 1876, John Harvey Kellogg assumed the role of superintendent at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, where his brother, W. K. Kellogg, served as bookkeeper. This environment fostered the development of corn flakes and ultimately led to the establishment of the Kellogg Company.

W. K. Kellogg collaborated with John to enhance the sanitarium's vegetarian menu, which emphasized wheat-based granola. The creation of flaked cereal in 1894 is attributed to the Kellogg brothers, although their specific contributions remain debated. The innovation occurred when John Kellogg unintentionally left wheat-berry dough overnight and then processed it into flakes the following day.

W. K. Kellogg persuaded John to offer the food in flake form, which quickly gained favor among sanitarium visitors. However, John limited Will’s ability to distribute the product broadly, prompting Will to launch the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company on February 19, 1906. After a fire destroyed the primary factory in 1907, Will rebuilt and resumed production within half a year.

Will’s enterprise promoted Kellogg's Toasted Corn Flakes successfully, changing its name to Kellogg Toasted Corn Flake Company in 1909 and later simplifying it to Kellogg Company by 1922. By 1909, daily production reached 120,000 cases. A legal dispute over the family name concluded in Will’s favor in 1920.

In response to the Great Depression, Kellogg introduced 30-hour workweeks in 1931 to boost employment—a strategy maintained until World War II and partially thereafter.

The company went public in 1952. Its first non-cereal product, Pop-Tarts toaster pastries, debuted in 1964. Between 1969 and 1977, Kellogg expanded by acquiring brands such as Salada Tea, Fearn International, Mrs. Smith's Pies, Eggo, and Pure Packed Foods; however, it faced criticism for limited diversification compared to rivals like General Mills.

By 1983, Kellogg's U.S. market share had declined to 36.7%, largely due to insufficient investment in marketing and product innovation amid a mature cereal market. Chairman William E. LaMothe redirected focus toward baby boomers aged 25–49, highlighting cereal’s convenience and nutritional benefits. This strategy resulted in a 26% increase in cereal consumption within that demographic over five years.

During this era, Kellogg launched products including Crispix, Raisin Squares, and Nutri-Grain Biscuits while expanding internationally with Just Right for Australian consumers and Genmai Flakes for Japan. The company maintained a competitive advantage over General Mills and Post Foods by successfully targeting adult consumers within a $5.4 billion U.S. ready-to-eat cereal market by 1988.

21st century

In 2001, Kellogg acquired the Keebler Company for $3.87 billion along with divisions such as Morningstar Farms and Kashi. Its brand portfolio grew to include Bear Naked, Natural Touch, Cheez-It, Murray, Austin cookies and crackers, Famous Amos, Gardenburger (acquired in 2007), and Plantation. Kellogg is also a member of the World Cocoa Foundation.

Kellogg purchased Kraft’s fruit snack division in 2005, including rights to produce Nickelodeon fruit snacks.

In 2012, by acquiring the potato chip brand Pringles from Procter & Gamble for $2.7 billion, Kellogg became the second-largest snack food company worldwide.

The company acquired Chicago-based Rxbar for $654 million in 2017 and established new corporate offices at Chicago's Merchandise Mart to support global expansion and IT operations. In the UK market, it launched the W. K. Kellogg brand offering organic, vegan cereals free from added sugars.

Due to Venezuela’s economic turmoil, Kellogg ceased operations there in 2018; Venezuelan authorities subsequently took control of its factories. The firm has publicly condemned unauthorized use of its trademarks by the Venezuelan government.

On April 1, 2019, Kellogg divested brands including Famous Amos, Murray's, Keebler, Mother's, and Little Brownie Bakers (the producer of Girl Scouts cookies) to Ferrero SpA for $1.4 billion; this transaction finalized on July 29. While selling Keebler cookies, Kellogg retained its cracker line under its own branding.

In October 2019, Kellogg partnered with GLAAD to launch "All Together Cereal," supporting LGBTQ advocacy with a $50,000 contribution.

Kellogg pledged in January 2020 to eliminate glyphosate from its supply chain by 2025.

In October 2021, employees across all U.S.-based cereal manufacturing plants initiated a strike over labor contract disagreements. Although a tentative agreement was reached in December, union members initially rejected it; eventually around 1,400 workers ratified a new contract following a strike lasting 77 days.

On June 21, 2022, Kellogg announced plans to split into three distinct companies: North American cereal under "WK Kellogg Co," snacks and international cereal as "Kellanova," and plant-based foods initially named "Plant Co." This restructuring aimed at sharpening growth strategies—Kellanova represented roughly 80% of sales ($11.4 billion), while cereal accounted for $2.4 billion annually.

By January 2023, plans to spin off the plant-based division were abandoned; it remained part of Kellanova. On March 15, 2023, the separation was formalized: WK Kellogg Co adopted the NYSE ticker "KLG," while Kellanova retained "K." The split was completed on October 2, 2023.

On August 14, 2024, Mars Inc.,[owner of brands such as M&M's and Snickers, agreed to acquire Kellanova for nearly $30 billion. The acquisition received approval from the US Federal Trade Commission but faced regulatory review from EU competition authorities as of late 2025.

Operations

Finances

For the fiscal year 2017, Kellogg's reported a net income of US$1.269 billion against total revenues of US$12.932 billion, marking a slight decrease of 0.7% compared to the previous year. By November 2018, the company's market capitalization had surpassed US$22.1 billion.

Year Revenue
(million US$) 		Net Income
(million US$) 		Total Assets
(million US$)
2005 10,177 980 10,575
2006 10,907 1,004 10,714
2007 11,776 1,103 11,397
2008 12,822 1,148 10,946
2009 12,575 1,212 11,200
2010 12,397 1,287 11,847
2011 13,198 866 11,943
2012 14,197 961 15,169
2013 14,792 1,807 15,474
2014 14,580 632 15,153
2015 13,525 614 15,251
2016 13,014 694 15,111
2017 12,923 1,269 16,351
2018 13,547 1,336 17,780
2019 13,578 960 17,564
2020 13,770 1,251 17,996
2021 14,181 1,488 18,178


Brands

  • Bear Naked
  • Cheez-It Crackers
  • Eggo
  • Fruit Winders
  • Fruity Snacks
  • Morningstar Farms
  • Club Crackers
  • Nutri-Grain
  • Pop-Tarts
  • Pringles
  • Rxbar
  • Sunshine Biscuits
  • Town House
  • Zesta Crackers
  • Carr's (available only in the US)
  • Rice Krispies Treats
  • Incogmeato
  • Joybol
  • Austin Sandwich Cookies
  • Cracklin' Oat Bran
  • Gardenburger
  • Frozen Breakfast items
  • Mueslix Cereal
  • Pure Organic Fruit Bars
  • Toasteds Crackers
  • Special K snack bars


Cereal

Kellanova's global cereal range features:


  • All-Bran (multiple versions)
  • Apple Jacks (including special editions)
  • Bran Buds (exclusive to New Zealand)
  • Bran Flakes
  • Chocos (distributed in India and Europe)
  • Chocolate Corn Flakes (UK; relaunched in 2011)
  • Mini Swirlz (featuring Cinnabon flavors)
  • Coco Pops variants such as Challenger Spaceship and Crunchers
  • Cocoa Krispies (marketed under different names in Europe and Latin America)
  • Corn Flakes and related varieties
  • Complete Wheat Bran Flakes/Bran Flakes
  • Corn Pops
  • Country Store
  • Cracklin' Oat Bran
  • Crayola Jazzberry Cereal (fruit-flavored with packaging resembling coloring books)
  • Crispix
  • Crunch series (including Caramel Nut Crunch among others)
  • Crunchy Nut
  • Cruncheroos
  • Disney-themed cereals like Honey-Graham and Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Eggo cereal
  • Extra Muesli options
  • Froot Loops (with reduced sugar and marshmallow versions)
  • Frosted Flakes/Frosties with various flavor extensions
  • Frosted Mini-Wheats (named differently depending on the market)
  • Fruit Harvest selections
  • Fruit 'n Fibre (distinct from the US Post product)
  • Fruit Winders (UK exclusive)
  • Genmai Flakes (Japan market)
  • Guardian (available in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada)
  • Happy Inside collection
  • Honey Loops and Honey Nut Corn Flakes
  • Honey Smacks/Smacks globally
  • Jif Peanut Butter Cereal (US only)
  • Just Right varieties targeting Australia/New Zealand markets
  • Khampa Tsampa (a specialty Tibetan cereal developed with CIA assistance)
  • Kombos
  • Krave/Tresor/Trésor chocolate cereals launched between 2010–2012 across various markets
  • Komplete (Australia-specific)
  • Low-Fat Granola selections
  • Mini Max and Mini Swirlz product lines
  • Mini-Wheats in assorted flavors
  • Mueslix containing nuts and fruits
  • Nutri-Grain
  • Oat Bran: Cracklin' Oat Bran
  • Pop-Tarts Bites
  • Raisin Bran/Sultana Bran variations
  • Raisin Wheats
  • Rice Krispies/Rice Bubbles including gluten-free options
  • Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory cereal
  • Scooby-Doo Cinnamon Marshmallow cereal
  • Smart Start series
  • Smorz
  • Special K with international flavor adaptations
  • Spider-Man Spidey-Berry cereal
  • SpongeBob SquarePants cereal
  • Strawberry Pops (South Africa only)
  • Super Mario Cereal
  • Sustain product line


Discontinued cereals and foods

  • Banana Bubbles: A banana-flavored variant of Rice Krispies launched in the UK in 1995 but withdrawn shortly after.
  • Banana Frosted Flakes
  • Bart Simpson's No Problem-O's and Eat My Shorts: Limited releases in the UK.
  • Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Cereal
  • Bigg Mixx cereal
  • Buckwheat & Maple
  • Buzz Blasts (inspired by Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story)
  • C-3PO's cereal (1984): Star Wars-themed, later rebranded as Pro-Grain with a sports-oriented focus.
  • Cinnamon Crunch Crispix
  • Cinnamon Mini-Buns
  • Cocoa Hoots: A chocolate-flavored cereal from the early 1970s similar to Cheerios; featured Newton the Owl as mascot.
  • Coco Pops Strawss
  • Complete Oat Bran Flakes
  • Concentrate

...

Marketing

Kellogg's has implemented a range of advertising approaches, prominently featuring the Kellogg's emblem crafted by Ferris Crane under the guidance of art director Y. Ames, alongside the well-known jingle "K E double-L, O double-good, Kellogg's best to you!".

In the early 1900s, The Kellogg Company of Canada released A New Way of Living, which positioned All-Bran cereal as vital for sustaining energy and digestive health.

The brand has been a key sponsor of notable television shows, such as the CBS panel program What's My Line? and the PBS Kids animated series Dragon Tales, thereby enhancing its presence among varied viewer groups.

In 2016, Kellogg's supported USA Gymnastics by organizing the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions, a nationwide 36-city event featuring Olympic medal winners, reinforcing its connection to sports excellence.

By May 2025, Kellogg's held title sponsorship for three college football bowl games. The company assumed naming rights for the Sun Bowl in 2019, rebranding it as the "Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl". In 2020, its Cheez-It brand became the sponsor of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Further expanding its involvement in 2022, Kellogg's added the Citrus Bowl, which was renamed the "Cheez-It Citrus Bowl".

Premiums and prizes

W. K. Kellogg was a pioneer in including prizes inside cereal packaging, a tactic that has resulted in tens of billions of cereal box prize giveaways worldwide.

Children's premiums

In 1909, Kellogg's Corn Flakes launched the first cereal premium with The Funny Jungleland Moving Pictures Book, initially distributed directly in stores with purchases. Later that same year, Kellogg's transitioned to a mail-in premium requiring ten cents, eventually distributing more than 2.5 million copies over a span of 23 years.

Cereal box prizes

Beginning in 1945, Kellogg's included pin-back button collectibles inside Pep cereal boxes, depicting U.S. Army squadrons and comic characters. By 1947, this series included 90 buttons across five collections. Competitors such as General Mills, Malt-O-Meal, Nestlé, Post Foods, and Quaker Oats adopted analogous prize-based marketing initiatives to increase sales and foster customer loyalty.

Mascots

Mascots that are licensed and tied to specific brands (for instance, Spider-Man for Spider-Man Spidey-Berry) are not included here.

Motorsports

Between 1991 and 1992, Kellogg's ventured into auto racing sponsorship by supporting the #41 Chevrolet entries fielded by Larry Hedrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Drivers during this period included Phil Parsons, Dave Marcis, Greg Sacks, Hut Stricklin, and Richard Petty. The brand's visibility increased significantly when it sponsored two-time Winston Cup Champion Terry Labonte from 1993 through 2006, notably spending 12 years associated with Hendrick Motorsports' No.5 vehicle. Kellogg's maintained its sponsorship of the No.5 car as it was driven by Labonte, Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, and Mark Martin up until 2010. Subsequently, the company acted as an associate sponsor for Carl Edwards’ #99 car at Roush Fenway Racing.

Kellogg's capitalized on NASCAR personalities to promote its products, featuring Dale Earnhardt on Corn Flakes packaging during his championship seasons in 1993 and 1994, as well as showcasing Jeff Gordon on Mini Wheats boxes to celebrate his Rookie of the Year title and championship victories. In 1996, a special edition racing box set was released that included images of Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Terry Labonte, and Dale Jarrett.

Merchandising

Kellogg's has employed merchandising strategies to deepen consumer interaction with its brand. During the 1960s, entertainer Jimmy Durante appeared in advertisements for the company. The brand also introduced Mission Nutrition, a computer game distributed with certain cereal packages, where players controlled iconic mascots such as Tony the Tiger alongside Snap, Crackle, and Pop.

Further interactive offerings included "Talking" games featuring mascots Tony the Tiger (as Talking Tony) and Toucan Sam (as Talking Sam), which utilized voice recognition technology through microphone input. Additional branded merchandise comprised toy vehicles adorned with Kellogg's logos and characters. Moreover, a voice-activated software titled Talking Snap Crackle and Pop was developed to engage consumers via interactive digital content.

Olympic Games

Kellogg's has established a recurring partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee, prominently displaying American athletes from both U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams on its cereal packaging. In 2011, Kellogg's secured official sponsorship status for the U.S. teams participating in the 2012, 2014, and 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. During the 2018 Winter Olympics, the company spotlighted athletes including Nathan Chen, Kelly Clark, Meghan Duggan, and Mike Schultz. This collaboration was extended through the 2018 and 2020 Olympic and Paralympic events, underscoring Kellogg's strategic focus on aligning with prominent sporting occasions to boost brand recognition.

Restaurant

Between 2016 and 2019, Kellogg's operated a branded café named "Kellogg's NYC" located in New York City. This establishment offered customizable cereal bowls featuring various toppings, representing an effort to expand consumer engagement beyond traditional retail channels into experiential marketing initiatives.

Genetically modified foods labeling

In 2012, Kellogg's contributed approximately US$2 million opposing California’s Proposition 37, which sought to require labeling of genetically engineered food products. By March 2016, the company had pledged to label all items containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by the year 2020.

Climate change

In August 2014, Kellogg's appealed to the U.S. President to endorse the Paris Agreement on climate change. Later, in 2016, the company urged President-elect Donald Trump to maintain commitment to this international accord.

Voter ID legislation

Kellogg's has supported organizations opposing voter-ID regulations, including RaceForward. Additionally, the company withdrew its advertisements from Breitbart News, which led Breitbart to call for a consumer boycott of Kellogg's products.

Educational funding

In January 2012, Kellogg's granted $250,000 to the Calhoun School to support a "three-part youth-driven initiative addressing issues of white privilege and institutionalized racism". By 2024, Kellanova's total assets surpassed $15 billion.

Advertising practices

On June 3, 2010, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) determined that Kellogg's had made unverified and misleading health-related claims in advertising its cereals. Kellogg's responded by expressing confidence in their product statements and complied with an FTC directive aimed at rectifying these concerns.

Earlier, the FTC disputed Kellogg’s claim that Frosted Mini-Wheats enhanced children's attention spans by nearly 20%. The Children's Advertising Review Unit also advised removing the phrase "Made with Real Fruit" from Pop-Tarts packaging due to potentially deceptive implications. In July 2012, UK regulators prohibited a "Special K" advertisement for excluding milk calories from its total calorie count. Likewise, in 2016, UK authorities banned ads describing Special K as “full of goodness” and “nutritious.”

In 2016, it was revealed that members of the Kellogg Breakfast Council, presented as independent nutrition experts, were actually compensated by Kellogg to publicly and professionally promote products. Kellogg’s acknowledged this lapse and stopped referring to the council as independent. The council was dissolved in May 2016 following contract expirations.

Nutritional content concerns

Kellogg's marketing has encountered criticism amid increasing consumer scrutiny regarding inconsistencies between advertising messages and actual product ingredients. Food bloggers have raised alarms about elevated sugar content and additives such as high-fructose corn syrup in Kellogg’s cereals.

Pop-Tarts lawsuit of 2021

In October 2021, attorney Spencer Sheehan initiated a class-action lawsuit alleging that Kellogg's strawberry-flavored Pop-Tarts contained insufficient real strawberries, seeking $5 million in damages. A federal judge dismissed this case in April 2022. Sheehan also filed a separate lawsuit concerning Frosted Chocolate Fudge Pop-Tarts over allegedly misleading milk content claims; this suit was dismissed in June 2022 after the court ruled that consumers would not reasonably expect milk ingredients.

Cereal recall of 2010

On June 25, 2010, Kellogg's voluntarily recalled roughly 28 million boxes of Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Froot Loops, and Honey Smacks due to an unusual odor and taste linked to package liners that caused consumer complaints of nausea and vomiting. The suspected contaminant was 2-methylnaphthalene, a chemical used in packaging with limited safety information from the FDA and EPA. Although some consumers reported waxy or metallic flavors, no serious health effects were confirmed. Kellogg’s offered refunds for products marked with "KN" after their expiration date. This recall affected distribution across the United States starting late March 2010; Canadian products were not impacted.

2012 Cereal Recall

Kellogg's initiated a voluntary recall of specific "Frosted Mini-Wheats Bite Size Original" and "Mini-Wheats Unfrosted Bite Size" products due to the risk of contamination by fragments of flexible metal mesh. This recall included multiple packaging formats, ranging from individual serving bowls to 70-ounce cartons, with expiration dates spanning from April 1 to September 21, 2013, identified by the codes KB, AP, or FK.

Palm Oil Supplier Labor Violations in 2016

Amnesty International revealed in 2016 that Wilmar International, a supplier of palm oil to Kellogg's, was associated with the use of child labor involving minors aged between 8 and 14 years, as well as forced labor practices. Employees endured extortion, threats, withheld wages, and serious chemical injuries caused by exposure to substances such as Paraquat. Kellogg's stated they were unaware of these abuses due to challenges in tracing their supply chain; nonetheless, Amnesty criticized this response as insufficient in terms of corporate responsibility.

Strike Action in 2021

In October 2021, more than one thousand workers at four Kellogg's manufacturing facilities across the United States initiated a strike seeking improved pay and working conditions. After two months without resolution, Kellogg's permanently replaced the striking employees and reopened their positions in December following unsuccessful negotiations with the BCTGM union. The company had warned of relocating jobs to Mexico if their proposal was rejected and also pursued legal action against the union. The conflict generated widespread social media campaigns advocating for a boycott of Kellogg's products.

See also

External links

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named trafford
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