Kellogg yesterday unveiled the new names for the future companies it will create through its planned separation into two public companies focused on global snacking and North American cereal.
The move to split itself was announced last year and aims to sharpen the focus of each division to accelerate growth.
The group’s global snacking, international cereal and noodles, plant-based foods, and North American frozen breakfast business will be named ‘Kellanova’. It will be home to brands such as Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats, MorningStar Farms, Incogmeato, Gardenburger, Nutri-Grain, RXBAR, and Eggo. It will also control the company’s international cereal brands, including Frosties, Zucaritas, Special K, Krave, Miel Pops, Coco Pops, and Crunchy Nut.
“The name Kellanova signals the company’s ambition for the future, building on the strong brand equity and legacy built over the past 117 years as Kellogg Company,” said Steve Cahillane, Kellogg Company’s Chief Executive, and future Chairman and CEO of Kellanova.
“The ‘Kell’ overtly recognizes our enduring connection to Kellogg Company, while ‘anova’, which combines ‘a’ and the Latin word ‘nova’, meaning ‘new’, signals our ambition to continuously evolve as an innovative, next generation, global snacking powerhouse. The Kellanova logo retains the iconic Kellogg Company ‘K’ to intentionally connect to our heritage and the strong foundation that got us to where we are today. The forward curved and extended ‘v’ embodies our forward momentum as we embark on this next chapter.”
Meanwhile, the North American cereal business will be named WK Kellogg Co. It will operate in the US, Canada, and Caribbean, with brand’s including Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Mini-Wheats, Special K, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Kashi, and Bear Naked.
Gary Pilnick, Chief Executive Designate of new unit, said: “The name WK Kellogg Co honors the legacy of founder W.K. Kellogg, celebrating his spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. At the same time, we are looking forward, focused on propelling the company into the future. We eliminated the use of periods in the name to signal the start of a new, unwritten chapter.
“The logo itself stems from the iconic signature of Mr. Kellogg. We have taken his instantly recognizable script and then underlined and elevated the ‘Co,’ emphasizing our ambition as a 117-year-old start-up taking Mr. Kellogg’s original company to new heights.”
The new names will come into effect after the spin-off of the North American cereal business, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. The Kellogg’s brand will continue to be used on the product packaging of both companies around the world.
Kellogg topped market expectations for sales and profit in its last quarter, as demand for its cereals and snacks remained strong even after several rounds of price increases.
NAM Implications:
- A brave company that tinkers with its iconic name…
- …as we enter year four of Lockdown fallout.
- Watch this space…
