Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Michigan, has revealed the names of the snacking and cereal-focused units into which it plans to divide its assets.
The brand’s global snacking business will be named Kellanova, and the North American cereal business will be named WK Kellogg Co. The Kellogg’s brand will remain on product packaging for both companies.
“Unveiling the names for the global snacking and North American cereal businesses is an exciting milestone for both companies as we progress towards unleashing their full potential as standalone businesses,” said Steve Cahillane, chairman and CEO the Kellogg Co., and future chairman and CEO of Kellanova. “Upon spin completion, we believe both businesses will be better positioned to focus on their distinct strategic priorities, execute with increased agility and operational flexibility, realize improved outlooks for profitable growth, and shape distinctive corporate cultures, each rooted in Kellogg Co.’s strong values.”
Kellogg gave the companies the temporary names Global Snacking Co. and North America Cereal Co. in June when the division of companies was announced. The new names will go into effect in connection with the spinoff of the North American cereal business, which Kellogg Co. intends to complete by the end of 2023.
Kellanova will be a global snacking company with a portfolio of brands, including Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats, MorningStar Farms, Incogmeato, Gardenburger, Nutri-Grain, RxBar and Eggo. Kellanova will also steward a suite of international cereal brands, including Kellogg’s, Frosties, Zucaritas, Special K, Krave, Miel Pops, Coco Pops and Crunchy Nut, among others.
“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 Co.,” said Cahillane. “The ‘Kell’ overtly recognizes our enduring connection to Kellogg Co., 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.”
According to Kellogg, this snacking business is expected to expand profit margins through operating leverage, revenue growth management, productivity and increasing emerging-markets scale.
WK Kellogg Co, the new North American cereal businesss, will be a food company in the United States, Canada and Caribbean, with a heritage of innovation and more than a century of operational success driven by its portfolio of brands, said the company. These brands include Kellogg’s, Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Mini-Wheats, Special K, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Kashi and Bear Naked.
“The name WK Kellogg Co honors the legacy of founder W.K. Kellogg, celebrating his spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Gary Pilnick, CEO designate of WK Kellogg Co “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 company said that short term, WK Kellogg Co will be focused on the restoration of inventory, profit margins and share position following 2021 supply disruptions. Long term, it will focus resources and strengthen the business through enhancing its portfolio, operating capabilities and productivity.
Kellanova will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “K.” Ticker and exchange information for WK Kellogg Co will be announced in the coming months.
Battle Creek, Michigan-based Kellogg is a cereal, cookie, cracker, snack and frozen-foods company. Its brands include Kellogg’s, Keebler, Special K, Pringles, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, Pop-Tarts, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Kashi, Cheez-It, Eggo, Coco Pops, Mini-Wheats and more.
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