{ & DRINK } One bowl leads to another: through the ages DARK AGES — For a long time in human history, the wonders of cold cereal from a box are not 1863 – Dr. James Caleb Jack- known or enjoyed. Whether happiness exists son, the founder of Jackson during this period of unenlightenment is a Sanitorium in , mystery. invents “granula,” which is made from dried graham 1876 – Dr. John H. Kellogg is hired to oversee what flour dough. It is tasteless will become the , in Battle and so hard that it must Creek, Mich. His brother William assists him in be soaked overnight be- bookkeeping and other tasks. He is hired by Ellen fore it can be consumed. G. White, the founder of the Seventh Day Adven- tist Church and a former patient at the Jackson 1881 – A lawsuit forces Sanitorium. He soon begins to experiment with the Kellogg brothers to -based , creating a similar stop calling their product “granula” — so they name product to Jackson’s — he even calls it “granula.” it “.” This wheat, and corn-based cereal is formed into a dough, baked and then broken into crumbs. By 1889, the Battle Creek Sanitarium is 1894 – The selling 2 tons of granola each week. Kellogg family invents the process by which 1895 – C.W. flaked cereal Post, a former can be made. A patient at the patent for the Battle Creek process is filed in Sanitarium, 1895 and granted founds his in 1896. The own compa- Kellogg brothers ny in Battle soon begin selling Creek, Mich., Granose Flakes, and sells a the first flaked product called Sinister cereal grain cereal, which , a DISHING ON THE DARK ORIGINS OF COLD CEREAL is made of wheat. breakfast They later formu- cereal bever- hat bowl of might not be as pure and late a recipe for age. In 1897 innocent it seems. corn flakes. he invents Cereal’s sordid past is filled with greed, lies, Grape Nuts. betrayal, family conflict, religious extremism and His products unethical business practices — just the sort of the are heavily Tthing to your day off right. Here are a few skeletons 1902 – Sunny Jim becomes the first cereal advertised you’ll find in that pantry closet: mascot. He appears on boxes of Force wheat with wildly flakes and soon becomes a nationally known inaccurate UNUSUAL HEALTH PRACTICES. Cereal owes fictional character. Other cereal companies health claims. its existence to sanitariums. In the mid-to-late 1800s, quickly follow suit. these health resorts were a convalescent destination for middle- and upper-class citizens who suffered from a variety Timeline and 1904 – C.W. Post produces corn flakes under the story by 1905 – The first name Elijah’s of health woes. There they would be puffed rice cereal is Manna. Reli- subjected to a restricted diet, along MICHELLE produced by Quaker with specific exercises and therapies. gious groups SCHMIDT . The method, protest, so he For example, at the Battle Creek which involves changes the Sanitarium you could start your day MSCHMIDT@ shooting of with a Granose biscuit, enjoy shock LMTRIBUNE. name to Post COM rice from a can- Toasties in 1908. therapy or a machine-powered non, was invented The Kellogg in the afternoon and end your day with by Alexander P. brothers accuse Wheatose Mould with Grape Sauce. It was at these plac- Anderson. The him of stealing es that cold cereal was developed and popularized. cereal markets it- the corn flakes EXTREME BELIEFS. As a Seventh Day Adventist self as “food shot recipe from and ardent vegetarian, Dr. John Kellogg believed meat from guns” and their safe. “the 8th wonder was to blame not only for the chronic indigestion that of the world.” scourged the nation, but its moral maladies as well. During the mid- to late 1800s, meat figured prominently on

the breakfast table, so Kellogg wanted to provide people with an alternative. Cereal, he believed, would promote 1906 – William K. Kellogg leaves the Battle Creek health and curb sexual desire. Not to be outdone in those 1909 – Kellogg’s Corn Flakes introduces the first Sanitarium with the rights to produce the corn flakes. claims, an early version of Wheat Chex, called Shredded cereal box prize for kids as part of an He desires to advertise products and sweeten the corn Ralston, was developed for followers of Ralstonism, a campaign. flakes with a little bit of sugar. John is opposed to both racist social movement. The cereal was part of a diet ideas so William founds his own company and sells said to give them control over the thoughts of others. the slightly sweetened Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. UNETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES. Kellogg’s first cereal was a shameless copy of a product made at 1911 – Because of their popularity and high profit the Jackson Sanitarium. Later, one of Kellogg’s patients margin, around 100 brands of corn flakes are pro- at the sanitarium, C.W. Post, copied Kellogg’s concept 1934 – Post duced in the Battle Creek., Mich. area. and began producing his own cereal. He was accused of Toasties pays stealing the corn flakes recipe from Kellogg’s safe. Walt Disney $1.5 million for the 1939 – Ranger Joe FAMILY CONFLICT. The Kellogg brothers worked rights to use Popped Wheat together harmoniously at the Battle Creek Sanitarium Mickey Mouse Honnies become for a time, but eventually parted ways over business dis- and other Walt the first pre-sug- agreements about the direction of the cereal side of the Disney charac- ared cereal. At this business. They couldn’t even agree on the story about ters on their time most how they had invented flaked cereal. cereal boxes for are unsweet- one year. Some ened; people FALSE ADVERTISING. In the early 1900s, Post Will Kellogg say Disney at home added put more effort into selling his products than he did into used the mon- sugar according to making accurate claims about them. Grape-Nuts, his ads ey to build his their tastes. The claimed, could help a person beat alcoholism, improve film empire. pre-sweetened ce- IQ and cure appendicitis. It also allegedly “made red real was said to be blood redder,” whatever that means. aimed at keeping people from add- MARKETING TO CHILDREN. Sugar cereal has 1941 – Snap, Crackle and Pop appear for the first ing excess sugar. time together on a box of . They long been heavily marketed to children. With the rise of were created in 1933, but originally appeared television, cereal product placement became the norm in children’s cartoons and television shows — Andy only on ads and in posters. 1949 – Sugar Griffith, Fred Flintstone and Yogi Bear all pitched Crisp becomes various brands of cereal during their programs. Some first cereal claimed these techniques were manipulative, and even- to have an tually Congress passed laws that restricted advertising to animated TV children. They’re not the only gullible ones though: If commercial, you believe “breakfast is the most important meal of the featuring day” you’ve been influenced by a good marketing cam- three bears: paign that is decades old. ! C.W. Post Handy, Dandy and . The cereal was later renamed Golden Crisp.

1950s – Trix, , { CEREAL SMACKDOWN } 1960s – is so heavily marketed to kids that the Federal Trade Commission steps and other in to establish new laws. sugar cereals that still CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND BEGINS: dominate 1970s – Rising concerns about health and excess the market sugar consumption cause cereal producers to appear. create more health-oriented products and em- Frosted-Mini Wheats vs. Lucky Charms phasize nutritional value over flavor. he showdown for the best cereal is down to Frosted Mini Wheats and Lucky Charms. 1996 – Things had been grrreat for Tony the and his Frosted Flakes until they were bested by Cereal T Frosted Mini Wheats 25 to 20. consump- Lucky Charms kept its winning streak alive, taking down 28 to 18. The fortunate lep- tion peaks rechaun is the only survivor of the original four mascots — , Cap’n Crunch, the Trix and has Rabbit — to make it to the semi-finals. declined Voting continues for the Cereal Smackdown today until Monday at inland360.com. Results on the ever since. readers’ favorite will be published in next Thursday’s Inland 360. !