With plans for a $40 million addition underway to its W.K. Kellogg Institute for Food and Nutrition Research (WKKI) in Battle Creek, Mich., and a host of new products hitting store shelves, Kellogg Co. continues its focus on innovation.
Since WKKI opened in 1997, the company’s net sales from innovation have almost doubled. In addition, the company’s investment in research and development has increased significantly from $106.4 million in 2002 to $179.3 million in 2007.
"We’re proud of our proven track record of delivering results from our innovations," said Dr. Donna Banks, Kellogg’s senior vice president of global innovation. "In 2007, approximately 17 percent of net sales or almost $2 billion dollars were delivered through innovations launched in the last three years. We’re very excited about the expansion of our WKKI facility and about our new product offerings launching this year."
Kellogg’s new products include:
* Special K Cinnamon Pecan cereal. Product hit store shelves in December.
* All-Bran Strawberry Medley cereal. Product was available nationwide in January.
* Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Gold cereal. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Gold was introduced in January.
* Animal Planet Wild Animal Crunch. Available in January in four collectors’ packages featuring real photographs of meerkats, polar bears, pandas and seals.
* Mini-Wheats Unfrosted. Product was available nationwide last October.
* Special K Bliss bars. The bars are available in two flavor combinations — Chocolatey Dipped Raspberry and Chocolatey Dipped Orange — and are 90 calories. Special K Bliss bars hit store shelves in January.
* Pop-Tarts Toaster Pastries with One Serving of Whole Grain. Product was available beginning in January.