History of Cereal

During the early 19^th century most Americans subsisted on a diet of pork, whiskey and coffee. Christian fundamentalists considered the diet to be bad on the soul and worse on the colon. They believed that constipation was God's punishment for eating meat. The diet was also blamed for fueling laziness and lust. To rid America of these vices, religious zealots spearheaded the country's first vegetarian movement. In 1863, one member of this group, Dr. James Johnson invented Granula, America's first ready-to-eat, grain-based breakfast product. Better known as cereal, Jackson's rock-hard breakfast bricks offered consumers a sin-free meat alternative that aimed to clear the conscience and the bowels.

 

Jackson's innovation failed to appeal to the masses, but it caught the attention of Dr. John Kellogg. A renowned surgeon and health guru, Kellogg had transformed the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan into one of America's hottest retreats. Socialites such as the Rockefellers to the Roosevelts flocked to "The San" to receive Kellogg's unorthodox treatments. But shock-therapy sessions (picture John D.) and machine powered enemas (no picture required) were the only items on the agenda. Kellogg also stressed such newfangled ideas as exercise and proper nutrition. It wasn't long before he started serving bran biscuits similar to those of Dr. Jackson---only with the Kellogg name on them. To avoid a law suit, Kellogg changed the name of the cereal by one letter, dubbing it Granola.

 

By 1889, The San was selling 2 tons of granola a week, despite the fact that it was barely edible. The success inspired Dr Kellogg and his brother W. K. to produce more-palatable fare. After six years of experimentation, a kitchen mishap by W. K. yielded the breakfast staple known as cereal flakes.

 

In many ways, the cereal flake is the perfect consumer product. It is easy to produce; easy to sell, and even to this day has a profit margin of 50 percent. And this is where Post comes in.

 

Charles Post marketed Grape-Nuts as curing appendicitis, improving one's IQ, and even "making red blood redder." By 1903 he was clearing $1 million a year.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.