Breakfast cereal
Processed cereal grains eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
Breakfast cereal is a category of food made from processed cereal grains, eaten as part of breakfast or as a snack, primarily in Western societies. While warm cooked cereals like oatmeal have a long history, branded ready-to-eat cold cereals emerged in the late 19th century, often produced via extrusion and served with dairy products.
- inventor of first cold cereal
- James Caleb Jackson
- key early center
- Battle Creek, Michigan
- industry gross profit margin
- 40–45%
Lore & Background
It required soaking overnight and never became popular. George H. Battle Creek, Michigan, became a center for ready-to-eat cereal innovation, influenced by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His brother William K.
Reader's Guide
Breakfast cereal has been a significant food category in Western societies since the late 19th century, evolving from warm cooked grains to branded cold cereals. Cereals are often fortified with vitamins but can lack needed nutrients, and many are high in sugar, marketed to children with mascots and prizes. The industry has gross profit margins of 40–45% and has seen steady growth. The category remains competitive, with ever-increasing varieties and flavors.
Did You Know?
- The breakfast cereal industry has gross profit margins of 40–45%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is breakfast cereal?
Breakfast cereal is a food category made from processed cereal grains, typically consumed as a morning meal or a snack in Western cultures. It ranges from warm cooked preparations like oatmeal to branded ready-to-eat cold varieties that are usually paired with milk or another dairy product.
Where did the modern breakfast cereal industry get its start?
Battle Creek, Michigan became the key early hub for commercial cereal production in the late 19th century. The town's concentration of health reformers and manufacturers helped turn a niche food into a mass-market breakfast staple.
How is ready-to-eat breakfast cereal actually produced?
Most modern cold cereals are made by processing cereal grains through extrusion, a technique that cooks and shapes the grain into its final form. The extruded product is then dried, often coated or flavored, and packaged for sale.
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