Malt-O-Meal
Encyclopedia
The Malt-O-Meal Company is a privately owned American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 corporation that produces breakfast cereals. Its corporate headquarters are in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

. It employs 1,400 people and had estimated sales in 2008 of $548 million.

History

The company was founded in 1919, as the Campbell Cereal Company by John Campbell, a miller in Owatonna, Minnesota
Owatonna, Minnesota
Owatonna is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,599 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Steele County. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair in August....

. He invented a combination of malted and farina
Farina (food)
Farina is a cereal food, frequently described as mild-tasting, usually served warm, made from cereal grains. In contemporary American English use, the word usually refers to Cream of Wheat made from soft wheat. Wheat farina is a carbohydrate-rich food, often cooked in boiling water and served warm...

 wheat hot breakfast cereal he called Malt-O-Meal. Campbell intended to compete with Cream of Wheat
Cream of Wheat
Cream of Wheat is a porridge-type breakfast food invented in 1893 by wheat millers in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The cereal is currently manufactured and sold by B&G Foods. Until 2007, it was the Nabisco brand made by Kraft Foods. It is similar in texture to grits, but made with farina instead...

.

In 1927, the company moved production of its cereal to the Ames Mill in Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...

. Nine years later, corporate headquarters were moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

, and in 1953, owners changed the company name to Malt-O-Meal Company.

Attempts in the 1940s to market Campbell's Corn Flakes, and in the 1960s to sell State Fair brand Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice
Puffed rice
Puffed rice is a type of puffed grain made from rice; usually made by heating rice kernels under high pressure in the presence of steam, though the method of manufacture varies widely.-Origin:Pori has been mentioned in various Tamil...

, were abandoned in the face of competition.

In the 1970s, the Malt-O-Meal Company once again began making cold cereals which replicated popular brands. These cereals are packaged under Malt-O-Meal's brands and private labels for Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...

, Safeway
Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...

, Wegmans, Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter is a chain of supermarkets based in Matthews, North Carolina, just outside Charlotte. , the chain operates 207 stores in eight Southern states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.Harris Teeter is a...

, Shop 'n Save (Pittsburgh)
Shop 'n Save (Pittsburgh)
Shop ‘n Save is a locally owned and operated grocery store chain with more than 70 supermarket locations within Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, and West Virginia. Established in 1968 as one of the nation's first discount grocery stores, Shop ‘n Save offers cheap name-brand and private label...

 and Wal Mart.

The Malt-O-Meal Company is the fifth largest cereal manufacturer in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, marketing its cereals in more than 70% of the nation's grocery stores.

It operates three manufacturing plants in Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...

, one in Tremonton, Utah
Tremonton, Utah
Tremonton is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 7,647 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Tremonton is located at ....

, and one in Asheboro, North Carolina
Asheboro, North Carolina
Asheboro is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 21,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County, and is the home of the state-owned North Carolina Zoo.-Geography:...

, as well as distribution centers in Grove City, Ohio
Grove City, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,075 people, 10,265 households, and 7,544 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,941.2 people per square mile . There were 10,712 housing units at an average density of 768.0 per square mile...

; Coppell, Texas
Coppell, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,958 people, 12,211 households, and 9,781 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,418.5 people per square mile . There were 12,587 housing units at an average density of 846.6 per square mile...

; and Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...

.

The company sponsors "Make it with Malt-O-Meal" State Fair Recipe Contests at the Oregon and Arizona State Fairs.

In 2002, Malt-O-Meal acquired the bagged cereal business from the Quaker Oats Company
Quaker Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company is an American food conglomerate based in Chicago. It has been owned by Pepsico since 2001.-History:Quaker Oats was founded in 1901 by the merger of four oat mills:...

.

In 2007, Malt-O-Meal took part in the "reverse product placement" marketing campaign for The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...

and packaged one of their cereals, Tootie Frooties, as "Krusty-O's". The cereal was sold in 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...

 stores across North America along with other The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...

related products.

In December 2009, Malt-O-Meal acquired the Farina
Farina (food)
Farina is a cereal food, frequently described as mild-tasting, usually served warm, made from cereal grains. In contemporary American English use, the word usually refers to Cream of Wheat made from soft wheat. Wheat farina is a carbohydrate-rich food, often cooked in boiling water and served warm...

 brand of hot cereal from U.S. Mills
U.S. Mills
U.S. Mills is a packaged food products company specializing in natural, organic, and specialty cereals, cookies, and crackers. Their products are sold through supermarkets, wholesale grocers, and natural food distributors nationwide. Their brands include Uncle Sam Cereal, Erewhon, New Morning,...

. Farina was started by Pillsbury in 1898.

Corporate governance

The company is a fourth generation, family-owned business based in Minneapolis.

Cold cereals

  • Apple Zings
    Apple Jacks
    Apple Jacks is a brand of cereal produced by Kellogg's and targeted mainly at children. It was introduced to the U.S. as "Apple O's" in 1965 after being invented by William Thilly, now a professor at MIT. In 1971 the name "Apple Jacks" was put into action by advertisers...

     (Apple Jacks)
  • Berry Colossal Crunch (Crunch Berries)
  • Blueberry Muffin Tops
  • Cinnamon Toasters
    Cinnamon Toast Crunch
    Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a brand of breakfast cereal produced by General Mills and Nestle. The cereal was first produced in 1984...

     (Cinnamon Toast Crunch)
  • Cocoa Dyno-Bites (Cocoa Pebbles)
  • Coco Roos
    Cocoa Puffs
    Cocoa Puffs is a brand of chocolate-flavored puffed grain breakfast cereal, manufactured by General Mills. Introduced in 1958, the cereal consists of small orbs of corn, oats and rice that have been flavored with cocoa. Essentially, Cocoa Puffs are Kix cereal with added chocolate flavoring...

     (Cocoa Puffs)
  • Colossal Crunch
    Cap'n Crunch
    Cap'n Crunch is a product line of sweetened corn and oat breakfast cereals introduced in 1963 and manufactured by Quaker Oats Company. Quaker Oats has been a division of PepsiCo since 2001. The product line is heralded by a cartoon mascot named Cap'n Crunch, a sea captain .-Development:Pamela Low,...

     (Cap'n Crunch)
  • Corn Bursts
    Corn Pops
    Corn Pops is a breakfast cereal made by Kellogg's, described by the company as "crunchy sweetened popped-up corn cereal." Originally called Sugar Pops, it was introduced in 1951 as the sponsor for "The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok" radio show...

     (Corn Pops)
  • Crispy Rice
    Rice Krispies
    Rice Krispies is a breakfast cereal that was created by Clayton Rindlisbacher for the Kellogg company, and later marketed by Kellogg's in 1927 and released to the public in 1928...

     (Rice Krispies)
  • Frosted Flakes
    Frosted Flakes
    Kellogg's Frosted Flakes is a breakfast cereal first introduced by the Kellogg Company. It consists of corn flakes "frosted" or coated with sugar. The "Frosted Flakes" name is used by Kellogg's in United States and Canada. The cereal was first introduced in 1951 as Sugar Frosted Flakes...

     (Kellogg's Frosted Flakes)
  • Frosted Mini-Spooners
    Frosted Mini-Wheats
    Frosted Mini-Wheats is a breakfast cereal manufactured by Kellogg's consisting of shredded wheat cereal pieces and frosting.-History:Kelloggs introduced Frosted Mini-Wheats in the United States...

     (Frosted Mini-Wheats)
  • Fruity Dyno-Bites
    Fruity Pebbles
    Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles are brands of breakfast cereal introduced by Post Cereals in 1971 featuring characters from the animated series The Flintstones. Cocoa Pebbles contains chocolate-flavored crisp rice cereal bits, while Fruity Pebbles contains crisp rice cereal bits that come in a...

     (Fruity Pebbles)
  • Golden Puffs
    Golden Crisp
    Golden Crisp is a breakfast cereal made by Post Cereals and introduced in 1949 as Sugar Crisp. It consists of sweetened puffed wheat.In a 2008 comparison of the nutritional value of 27 cereals, U.S...

     (Golden Crisp)
  • Cinnamon Golden Puffs
  • Honey and Oat Blenders
    Honey Bunches of Oats
    Honey Bunches of Oats is a cold cereal by Post Cereals. After three years of development, Honey Bunches of Oats was introduced to markets in 1988. The cereal is made up of three kinds of flakes and oat clusters baked with a hint of honey. It is marketed as a source of whole grain. Other varieties...

     (Honey Bunches of Oats)
  • Honey Buzzers (Honeycomb)
  • Honey Graham Squares
    Golden Grahams
    Golden Grahams is a brand of breakfast cereal owned by General Mills. It consists of small toasted square shaped cereal pieces made of whole wheat and corn. The taste is a mix of honey and brown sugar...

     (Golden Grahams)
  • Honey Nut Scooters
    Honey Nut Cheerios
    Honey Nut Cheerios is a variation of Cheerios breakfast cereal, introduced in 1979 by the General Mills cereal company. This is the second variation from Original Cheerios, it is sweeter than the original, with a honey and almond flavor...

     (Honey Nut Cheerios)
  • Marshmallow Mateys
    Lucky Charms
    Lucky Charms is a brand of cereal produced by the General Mills food company of Golden Valley, Minnesota, United States. It first appeared in stores in 1964. The cereal consists of two main components: toasted oat-based pieces and multi-colored marshmallow bits in various shapes, the latter making...

     (Lucky Charms)
  • Puffed Rice (Quaker Puffed Rice)
  • Puffed Wheat (Quaker Puffed Wheat)
  • Raisin Bran
    Raisin Bran
    Raisin bran is a breakfast cereal manufactured by several companies under a variety of brand names, including Kellogg's Raisin Bran; General Mills' Total Raisin Bran, a variant by General Mills called Raisin Nut Bran; and Ralcorp's Post Raisin Bran.-History:Skinner's Raisin Bran was the first...

     (Kellogg's Raisin Bran)
  • Scooters
    Cheerios
    Cheerios is a brand of breakfast cereal by General Mills introduced on May 1, 1941 as the first oat-based, ready-to-eat cold cereal. Originally named CheeriOats, the name was changed to Cheerios in 1945 because of a trade name dispute with Quaker Oats. The name fit the "O" shape of the cereal pieces...

     (Cheerios)
  • Tootie Fruities
    Froot Loops
    Froot Loops is a brand of breakfast cereal produced by Kellogg's and sold in Hungary, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the United States, South Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Germany, The Middle East, The Caribbean, South Africa, Latin America, Sweden and Finland...

    (Froot Loops)

Other Brands

As listed on Malt-O-Meal's site Most are available regionally or through specific chains.
All listed mention their use of natural ingredients, reduced packaging, and/or renewable energy
  • Three Sisters cereal (hot and cold varieties, sold only at Whole Foods stores)
  • Mom's Best Naturals (hot and cold varieties)
  • Bear River Valley (cold varieties)
  • I Love Oats (hot varieties)
  • Better Oats (hot varieties) (most sub-brands available in multiple flavors)
    • Oat Revolution
    • Oat Revolution Thick & Hearty
    • Abundance
    • Good 'N Hearty
    • Lavish
    • mmm... Muffins
    • Oat Fit
    • Oat Heads
    • Raw Pure & Simple
    • Mom's Best Naturals
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