100 years of Kellogg’s bringing breakfast to Britain

1889

In a failed attempt at making granola to feed patients at their health sanatorium in rural Mid-West America, our company’s founder, William Keith Kellogg, and his brother, Dr John Harvey Kellogg, changed breakfast forever when they accidently flaked wheat berries. W.K kept experimenting until he flaked corn, and created the delicious recipe for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.

1906

W. K. Kellogg opened the “Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company” in Battle Creek, Michigan, in the United States of America, and hired his first 44 employees. Together they created the initial batch of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and brought life to W.K’s vision for great-tasting, better for you breakfast foods.

1916

Kellogg’s launched its second cereal: All-Bran.

1922

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and All Bran were the first introduced to the British Public, imported originally from the USA and later from Canada.

1924

An office for the Kellogg Company of Great Britain opened in Holborn, London.

1925

From 1925, a decade of hard work by a sales force of 15 men covering the whole of the United Kingdom, helped convert the British public, who were then suspicious of dietary innovation, to the ‘ready-to-eat’ cereal breakfast. Millions of sample packets of cereal were distributed door to door.

1928

Kellogg’s introduces Rice Krispies to Britain.

1938

Kellogg’s opened its first British factory in Trafford Park, Manchester, on 24th May 1938. The factory cost $2 million to build and covered 130,000 square feet.

1954

Kellogg’s Sugar Frosted Flakes (Frosties) were introduced to Britain in 1954. These were the first cereal of the sugar coated type to reach the market. It achieved instant success, attaining a level of £1 million sales in its first year. Frosties’ Tony the Tiger has been voted as one of the top 10 brand icons of all time.

1956

Kellogg’s launches Special K into the UK. It was originally designed as a high-protein breakfast cereal aimed at men.

1960

Coco Krispies (Coco Pops) were introduced to Britain and were supported by a substantial T.V. advertising campaign.

1963

Prince Phillip visited the Trafford Park factory. He was met by Florence Millward, the housewife who won a competition to open the Manchester factory 25 years earlier.

1969

The Kellogg Company was honoured to provide breakfast for the legendary Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins during their ground breaking Apollo 11 trip to the moon.

1978

Kellogg’s opened its second UK factory – in Wrexham in North Wales. The site was officially opened by HRH Princess Alexandra on 28th April 1978.

1980

Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes were launched in the UK.

1984

Fruit and Fibre was launched in the UK.

1998

Kellogg’s started to support school breakfast clubs in Britain. Since 1998, Kellogg’s has provided 70 million breakfasts, supported 4,000 schools, and provided £5 million of investment so schools can provide the best start to the day for thousands of children.

2012

Kellogg’s acquired Pringles – becoming the second biggest savoury snacks company in the UK and the world.

2017

Kellogg’s announced a significant overhaul of its cereals, reducing salt and sugar in some of its best selling brands to help the people of Britain make healthier choices in the morning. Kellogg’s also removed high-sugar Ricicles from sale.

2018

Kellogg’s enter the organic and vegan foods market with the launch of a new W.K. Kellogg plant-based range.

2019

Kellogg’s announced the largest ever redesign of its iconic cereal packs. Kellogg’s is also recognised as the most trusted food and drink company in the UK (Source: Reputation Institute).

2020

To mark World Sight Day, Kellogg’s launched Coco Pops boxes for blind and partially sighted people as a trial in almost 60 Co-op stores across the UK. This has now been rolled out across our cereal range.