Kellogg Company unveiled the 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 names will go into effect in connection with the spinoff of the North American cereal business, which Kellogg Company intends to complete by the end of 2023. The Kellogg's brand will remain on product packaging of both companies worldwide.
The global snacking, international cereal and noodles, plant-based foods, and North American frozen breakfast business will be named Kellanova. The Kellanova portfolio will include 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 North American cereal business will be named WK Kellogg Co – an iconic food company in the U.S., Canada and Caribbean, with more than a century of operational success and its portfolio of brands including Kellogg's, Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Mini-Wheats, Special K, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Kashi, and Bear Naked.
With the help of employees, Kellogg engaged in a thorough process to create names that would maintain a strong connection to its legacy while capturing the spirit and ambition of each company's portfolio and trajectory. Kellogg invited employees from around the world to submit company name suggestions along with thoughts on what they hope to carry forward from Kellogg Company to each company. Nearly 1,000 employees submitted more than 4,000 name suggestions along with qualitative feedback. Approximately 20% of employees who submitted names suggested a variation of "W.K. Kellogg" for the North American cereal business name, "WK Kellogg Co." Employee name submissions that included "nova" inspired the global snacking business name, Kellanova.
"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," Steve Cahillane, Kellogg Company's chairman and chief executive officer, and future chairman and chief executive officer of Kellanova, said in the announcement. "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."
Gary Pilnick, chief executive officer designate of WK Kellogg Co, added in the announcement, "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."
