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Kellogg’s Cereal City USA is G-r-e-a-t!!

By Marilyn Loeser

Even if your daughter doesn’t live in Battle Creek, Michigan or work for the Kellogg Company like mine does, if you happen to find yourself in this neck of the woods, you may want to take in a very entertaining and educational attraction — Kellogg’s Cereal City USA.

You know you’re getting close to the cereal capital of the world when the air begins to smell like Froot Loops and billboards feature the likeness of everyone’s favorite cereal tiger Tony.

When the Kellogg Company no longer offered factory tours, Cereal City USA was developed, opening in 1998. The attraction is museum, factory tour and themed attraction all in one.

When I visited, my daughter Olivia and our friend Chris began our tour by watching the multimedia presentation, “The Best to You Revue.” Narrated by the Sweetheart of the Corn, we were introduced to the history of the company through the narrative of the Kellogg brothers, and Tony, Sunny, and Snap, Crackle and Pop. 

In 1894 Dr. John Harvey Kellogg was superintendent of the Battle Creek Sanitarium and Health Spa. His younger brother, Will Keith Kellogg, was the business side of the team.

The Sanitarium, better known as the “San,” taught patients to eat healthy and encouraged them to stop smoking, drinking coffee and alcohol, and eating meat.

At this point in their lives the Kellogg brothers, with the help of Dr. Kellogg’s wife, Ella Eaton Kellogg, had already produced many new products. Their ultimate goal was to create a substitute for bread. One evening after cooking a batch of wheat, the Kellogg brothers were called away from the kitchen. Although the dough was rather stale, the next morning they decided to force it though the rollers. This time instead of the long sheets of dough, thin flakes were produced.  

It was a disagreement over the production of flaked cereal that led Will Keith Kellogg to found the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company and begin producing its most famous product, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.

Cereal City

Today, a century later, guests can take a simulated factory tour to learn how cereal is produced.

Several interactive exhibits fill the second floor area along with the museum, “A Trip Thro’ the Cereal Story.” An indoor play area is available for small children, school-age children will enjoy activities involving cartoon making and Legos, and adults will enjoy remembering decades-old commercials and cereal packaging from their youth.

Back on the main floor, we wandered around the Factory Store, the largest outlet for Kellogg's themed merchandise in the world.

It takes around two hours to tour the attraction, but plan on longer if there are children in your party.

If you go:

You also can join Tony and the Gang for breakfast by reserving a place at one of Tony’s tables. After breakfast, there are door prizes, singing and dancing, picture taking and goodie bags, and guests are invited to explore Cereal City.

The Red Onion Grill is open for lunch and features burgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers and fries.

Cereal City can be reached by taking I-94 west from Detroit. Take exit 98B and follow M66/I-194. This will take you to downtown Battle Creek. Turn left onto Michigan Ave.

Take Michigan Ave. about two blocks, Cereal City USA is the red brick building located on the left side of the street just across the river.

For more information check the website: www.kelloggscerealcity.com.

All photos by Marilyn Loeser

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