A Look Into the Life of Will Keith Kellogg
Will Keith Kellogg, popularly referred to as W. K. Kellogg, was the founder of The Kellogg Company and a revolutionist in the corn flakes industry. He and his brother John Harvey Kellogg are credited with the invention of flaked cereals, an invention that took the world by storm.
Before the two brother’s innovation, Americans graced their breakfasts with heavy, traditional dishes comprising eggs, sausages, and porridge.
These meals required a significant preparation time, which many didn’t have to spare. Corn flakes served as a convenient alternative.
They were ready to eat and yet were as filling as other breakfast dishes. It didn’t take long for Americans to add these crunchy cereals into their diet, making W. K. Kellogg a fortune in the process.
However, behind Will Kellogg’s name lies a fascinating journey through life and success in business. Here’s a look into the years of the American industrialist and philanthropist, W. K. Kellogg.
The Birth and Childhood
W. K. Kellogg was born in April 1860 in Battle Creek, Michigan as the 7th child in a family of 15 siblings. His parents, Ann Janette and John Preston Kellogg were staunch followers of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church.
Naturally, W. K. Kellogg also became a faithful member of SDA, so much so that he began to practice vegetarianism as required by the church.
W. K. Kellogg entered school but dropped out in his mid-teens to help his father run his broom manufacturing business. His interest in trade started at a young age. By 14, he was a traveling salesman for his father’s company. By age 19, he was the manager of a new broom factory in Dallas, Texas.
The Adult Life
W. K. Kellogg worked in the broom-manufacturing industry until 1879 when he joined Parson’s Business College to pursue a three-month program.
By this time, his brother, Dr. John H. Kellogg, had been appointed the head of Adventist Health Reform Institute (later renamed Battle Creek Sanitarium).
On finishing his program, W. K. Kellogg went to work at Battle Creek Sanitarium as a bookkeeper and business manager.
He performed his tasks diligently, but his brother never recognized his efforts. The highlight of Will’s time at the sanitarium came in 1894 when he and his brother invented a flaked wheat cereal, which they named Granose. They later realized that making flaked cereals worked not only with wheat but also with rice, oats, and corn.
The patients and guests at Battle Creek Sanitarium loved Granose. It was the healthy and nutritious breakfast alternative that Dr. Kellogg had been working to develop for his patients.
Contented with their new invention, the Kellogg brothers founded Sanitas Food Company around 1897 to serve whole grain cereals in the facility.
Despite working together at the Sanitas Food Company, the Kellogg brothers held different views about the future of their invention.
Will Kellogg wanted to commercialize their idea by selling the flaked cereals to the public. Dr. John, by contrast, preferred to keep his customer base within the sanitarium.
He forbade Will from selling the product externally. This difference in opinion caused friction in their relationship, and in 1906, W. K. Kellogg left the Sanitas Food Company to start his own venture. He named it Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company. Will Kellogg was 46 at the time.
Having purchased the rights to the cereal recipe, W. K. Kellogg was free to mass-produce corn flakes and sell them to the public.
His idea was to run campaigns and promotions to get the word out about his products and brand. Will’s marketing strategy eventually paid off, and in 1909, Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company was selling 120,000 cases a day.
With time, as the business became more and more successful, it added more cereal types into its product catalog.
In 1922, W. K. Kellogg changed the company’s name to its present one, The Kellogg Company. By this time, his firm had become a market leader in the corn flakes industry.
Besides running his company, W. K. Kellogg had another interest: breeding Arabian horses. In 1925, he set up a horse ranch in California on 377 acres of land he’d purchased for $250,000.
His site hosted weekly exhibitions and horse breeding programs open to the public. W. K. Kellogg later donated his Arabian horse ranch to the University of California.
The Death of Will Keith Kellogg
W. K. Kellogg lived a long life and spent most of it running his business and doing philanthropic activities.
He passed away in 1951 at age 91 in his hometown, Battle Creek, Michigan, due to a circulatory illness.
Only two of his children outlived him, Karl Hugh and Elizabeth Ann, who died in 1955 and 1966, respectively. Will’s contributions to the food industry and his philanthropic activities are remembered to this day.
Facts
Check out these interesting facts about W. K. Kellogg:
- W. K. Kellogg designed Kellogg’s logo in 1907, and it has never changed since then.
- Since they parted ways in 1906, W. K. Kellogg and his brother, Dr. John H. Kellogg, were not on good terms. The two sued each other during the 1910s over the name “Kellogg’s.” The legal battle lasted almost a decade, reaching the Michigan Supreme Court, which ruled in Will Kellogg’s favor.
- W. K. Kellogg was a marketing genius. His company was the first to incorporate complimentary gifts and products inside cereal boxes.
Successes
W. K. Kellogg’s most significant success was his business, The Kellogg Company. Kellogg’s is now a global company with operations in five sales regions (amounting to 180 countries) and manufacturing plants in more than 20 states. The company is worth $23.6 billion in market cap value as of June 2022. Kellogg’s manufactures more than 40 cereal products and owns many businesses and subsidiaries. In 2012, the company was named the world’s second-largest snack food company.
Lifetime Achievements
Will Keith Kellogg was not only a shrewd businessman but also a philanthropist at heart.
He used his hard-earned money to finance multiple worthy causes, including the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, which he established in 1930 with donations amounting to $66 million.
His goal was to help families with sick and injured children afford healthcare.
One account of his biography denotes him instructing his staff at the foundation to “use the money as they please, so long as it promotes the health, happiness, and well-being of children.” The W. K Kellogg Foundation still runs to this day and has widened its focus to other charitable causes for children.
Character Traits
Here are some worthy character traits of Will Keith Kellogg:
- Benevolent
W. K. Kellogg had an intrinsic desire to help others. At the height of the Great Depression, he directed his company to add a fourth shift to give more people an opportunity to work.
- Go-Getter
W. K. Kellogg’s drive to succeed can be seen when he parted ways with his brother to start his entity. He worked hard to grow his business from a small startup to one that operates all over the United States.
- Philanthropic
W. K Kellogg established the W. K. Kellogg Foundation to help children get better and more affordable healthcare. The foundation is still in operation today and has touched many young lives.
Lessons Learned
What lessons can we pick up from the life story of Will Keith Kellogg?
- Give Back to Your Community
Help people in your community the same way W. K. Kellogg helped people in Battle Creek, Michigan. Find a way to make the world a better place and impact someone’s life. W. K Kellogg changed many lives through his foundation and company.
- Believe In Yourself
Don’t be afraid to go after what you want. W. K. Kellogg was willing to start his business and market corn flakes to the public despite his brother’s disapproval.
- Find a Cause You Love
W. K Kellogg had a longtime interest in breeding Arabian horses, so he established a horse ranch. He also wanted to help families with sick children afford healthcare, and thus he opened the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Find other passions and pursue them. They don’t necessarily have anything to do with business.
1860
W. K Kellogg is born in Battle Creek, Michigan.
1878
W. K. Kellogg gets hired to manage a new broom factory in Dallas, Texas.
1880
W. K. Kellogg marries Ella Davis. He also begins work at the Battle Creek Sanitarium.
1894
W. K. Kellogg and his brother accidentally invent wheat flake cereals.
1897
Around 1897, W. K. Kellogg and his brother started the Sanitas Food Company to serve whole-grain cereals to patients and guests at the sanitarium.
1906
Will Kellogg parts ways with his brother and establishes Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company (later renamed The Kellogg Company).
1912
Will Kellogg’s wife passes away. The couple had five children.
1918
W. K. Kellogg marries Carrie Staines Kellogg.
1922
W. K. Kellogg changes his company’s name to The Kellogg Company after winning rights to the “Kellogg” name.
1925
W. K Kellogg establishes an Arabian Horse Ranch on 377 acres of land in California.
1930
W. K. Kellogg starts the W. K. Kellogg Foundation with a $66 million donation.
1938
W. K. Kellogg steps down as head of his company.
1951
W. K. Kellogg passes away at age 91 in Battle Creek, Michigan. He outlives all but two of his children.
Quotes
“Immigration is important. We’re a nation of immigrants ~ Keith Kellogg.”
“When I decided to leave the military, I realized that the skills I acquired there were transferable to the commercial world both in leadership and the information technology field. I made the decision to move to Oracle because of its strong leadership role. ~ Keith Kellogg.”
“We need a very robust way of looking at people coming into the country… We’re focused on the whole concept of the ideology and of the vetting ~ Keith Kellogg.”
“It has been much easier to make money than to know how to spend it wisely ~ Keith Kellogg.”
“My pride wouldn’t let me quit ~ Keith Kellogg.”
“We were in debt, but we bought a reputation for keeping our promises ~ Keith Kellogg.”
“After all is said and done, we are all striving for results ~ Keith Kellogg.”