Over the next 12 months, Lakeville, Minnesota-based Post Consumer Brands will mark two major milestone anniversaries—125 years for the Post brand and 100 years for the Malt-O-Meal brand—by giving back to its hometown communities.
To honor the brands’ shared legacy of feeding families, Post Consumer Brands will host events at 10 locations across the U.S. and Canada to thank employees for their role in the company’s success. Each location will donate $25,000 to local hunger relief organizations selected by the facility for a total of $250,000. The company has a long history of supporting hunger relief efforts, including donating more than 20 million bowls of cereal last year to help fight food insecurity.
The anniversary events will take place at Post Consumer Brands locations in Asheboro, North Carolina; Battle Creek, Michigan; Cobourg, Ontario; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Lakeville, Minnesota; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Northfield, Minnesota; St. Ansgar, Iowa; Toronto, Ontario; and Tremonton, Utah.
“These anniversaries give us an opportunity not only to look back and reflect on our rich history but also to look forward with excitement as we continue to build on the remarkable legacies of two cereal pioneers,” said Howard Friedman, president and CEO of Post Consumer Brands. “It’s also a meaningful way for us to thank all of our employees and community partners who have been part of the company’s growth and progress over the years.”
In 1895, C.W. Post, inspired by health foods he was served during a hospital stay, invented Postum, a cereal beverage he marketed as a healthful alternative to coffee. Post then went on to develop a number of other products, including Grape-Nuts, one of the first ready-to-eat cereals in the United States. In 1919, John Campbell had an idea for a new product, driven by his desire to create nutritious foods for families and improve the taste of hot wheat cereal. Using leftover wheat farina from his father’s flour mills, Campbell invented Malt-O-Meal, a quick-cooking hot cereal. Their shared vision led to the creation of Post Consumer Brands, the third largest cereal company in America.
“A drive for innovation and a desire to feed families is what brought us together. And we’ve been feeding families ever since,” Friedman said. “With the broadest portfolio of cereals in the industry, we offer something for everyone. Our legacy of feeding families is a tradition we’re proud to continue, now and into the future.”
