KELLOGG'S HISTORY

It all began on February 19, 1906. That was the date that William Keith Kellogg filed the papers that officially incorporated the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flakes Company. The Kellogg’s philosophy – that improved diet leads to improved health – has driven everything they do since the days of William Keith Kellogg and his Battle Creek Sanatorium. The popularity of his new ‘Corn Flakes’ cereal, discovered almost by accident in 1876, encouraged William to set up the Kellogg company, now the most successful cereal manufacturer in the world.
The Kellogg’s story starts way back in Battle Creek Sanatorium, Michigan USA, in the 1870s.
Set up by brothers Will Keith Kellogg and Dr John Harvey Kellogg, it was founded on a deep belief that ‘you are what you eat…’ Oh, and plenty of fresh air, exercise and a strict ban on caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and meat.

In 1876, in pursuit of a breakfast food that was at once wholesome and half-way pleasant to eat (a rarity in those days), Dr John had a ‘Eureka’ moment. While experimenting with different ways to cook and crush wheat to make it more palatable without losing its goodness, he inadvertently ran a batch of cooked wheat through the rollers that had been standing around for a day or so.

And out of the other side came… Kellogg's Corn Flakes (or at least a prototype version). Testing their new discovery on their patients confirmed that here indeed was the delicious, nutritious breakfast the brothers had been seeking.

When orders starting coming for the new flakes from former patients, they knew they were onto a good thing and set up a separate company to manufacture their cereal under the name Sanitas. But it wasn’t until 1898 that Kellogg's Corn Flakes as we know them appeared, and in 1902 Will Keith made the momentous decision to leave the ‘San’ and set up full time in cereal production.