Language
Country/Area
No result found
The Revolution of Breakfast Cereals: How did the late 19th century lead to the trend of cold cereals?
Breakfast cereals have become an important dietary choice in Western societies, with products made from processed cereals as part of breakfast or as a quick snack. While traditional hot cereals such as oatmeal, grits, and wheat flour are much older, branded ready-to-eat cold cereals began to appear in the late 19th century, a change that not only affected people's breakfast habits but also set the stage for breakfast. Grain markets paved the way.
Many processed, ready-to-eat cold cereals are available in easy preparations, often with dairy products, traditionally cow's milk, but these days can also be enjoyed with yogurt or plant-based milks.
The rise of cold cereal can be traced back to 19th-century America, when people began looking for convenient and healthy breakfast options. As traditional hot cereals gave way to ready-to-eat cold cereals, new products like Carnation, Kellogg's and other brands popped up on the market. According to market research, the variety of breakfast cereals in the United States nearly doubled from 1970 to 1998, demonstrating consumer demand for diverse breakfast options.
Background of the times
The evolution of breakfast cereals is closely related to American food culture. In the 19th century, the Food Reform movement prompted people to reduce their meat intake and seek healthier vegetarian options. During this transformation, sales of oats and other grains grew rapidly with the arrival of German and Irish immigrants.
Early Cereal Products
In 1854, Ferdinand Schumacher, an immigrant from Germany, opened the first oat manufacturing company in the United States in Akron, Ohio, which laid the foundation for the breakfast cereal industry. With the advancement of technology and the integration of scientific methods, more and more companies have emerged to enjoy the dividends of market growth.
In 1885, Schumacher, John Robert Stuart and Henry Parsons Crowell merged to form the American Grain Company, becoming an important player in the national market.
Competition and Innovation
As time goes by, new products emerge one after another. Wheatena, launched by George Hoyt in 1879, and cereal brands we know today such as Kellogg's and Post all emerged during this period. They used innovative marketing strategies to establish a niche in the consumer market for more convenient cold cereals.
The convenience of packaged cereals provides a competitive advantage over traditional cooked foods. After the war, the market focused on children, often adding a lot of sugar to improve the taste, and launching various cartoon mascots to attract the attention of young consumers. It is questionable whether these advertising strategies have fundamentally changed people's consumption purposes.
Rapid development of industry
After entering the 20th century, with the advancement of technology and changes in social needs, the breakfast cereal market has experienced leaps and bounds again and again. According to market research, sales of various types of cereal products have increased steadily from 2000 to 2017, especially cold cereal products, which account for a major share of the entire market.
Between 2016 and 2017, Americans purchased 3.1 billion packages of breakfast cereals, with cold cereals accounting for 88% of sales.
A modern breakfast cereal perspective
Today we face another tug-of-war between natural and processed food choices. Processed grains can be deficient in nutritional value, and rising consumer awareness has led to an increased emphasis on healthy ingredients in breakfast. Many brands promote high-fiber, vitamin-fortified cereals in an effort to attract health-conscious consumers. What impact have all these changes had on the daily lives of ordinary consumers?
With the differences in breakfast culture around the world, every country actually has different breakfast cereal habits, from rice porridge in China to cold cereal in the United States, all showing the rich diversity between cultures. In the face of popular breakfast choices, have we lost our original simple but healthy eating habits?
