Business Spotlight: Kellogg’s Part 1

According to a 2015 survey, around 6.9% of the Japanese population eats cereal for breakfast. In fact, the easy-to-prepare breakfast might not have even reached Japan — where many still prefer a rice-based breakfast — had it not been for the Kellogg Company. The company had its start at Battle Creek Sanatorium in Michigan. Battle Creek was run by health advocate John Harvey Kellogg along with his brother W.K. Kellogg. In 1894, they invented the wheat flake. By 1905, they were selling over 150 cases a day. W.K. Kellogg launched a competitor company in 1906. This company prioritized advertising and by 1907 had increased previous revenues 20-fold. W.K. then successfully sued his brother for use of the Kellogg name, rebranding his company as Kellogg Toasted Corn Flake Company. When the Kellogg Company was created in 1922, it already had two successes: Bran Flakes in 1915 and All Bran in 1916. By the 1940s, Kellogg’s had expanded across the world to become the largest manufacturer of cold cereals. Sales doubled for Kellogg’s in the 1950s and ’60s, thanks to the baby boom and the introduction of child-oriented cereals like Sugar Frosted Flakes and Cocoa Krispies. Kellogg’s also adopted Frosted Flakes’ popular Tony the Tiger mascot during this time. (Jasmin Hayward) To be continued… This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.