Shoulder Choices: The Moral Dilemma Between Right and Wrong

Good or bad, right or wrong, any decision a company makes is looked over with a fine tooth comb by their stakeholders and consumers. These decisions are made based on the moral diversity of the decision maker (or makers) and are commonly referred to as ethics.

The classic struggle inside each of us.

This blog will be discussing the ethics involved with Kellogg’s decision making process and corporate responsibility, as well as the values that make them what they are today.

Kellogg’s is committed to conducting business in a legal, ethical, and responsible manner. In order to ensure company-wide compliance, there are two separate, but identical, values held high throughout the entire corporation. These are the K Values and the Global Code of Ethics respectively.

K Values are used to help guide Kellogg’s business approach and to help engage with stakeholders. There are six K Values that help guide Kellogg’s. They are to act with integrity and show respect. They are all accountable. They are passionate about their business, brands, and foods. They have the humility and hunger to learn. They strive for simplicity. They love success. These values offer practical guidance and provide a clear understanding of how the company is run, ethically speaking.

The Global Code of Ethics is a tool used by Kellogg’s to ensure all employees are taken through a step by step online training course. They provide targeted training on numerous topics ranging from the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act to eliminating forced labor in the supply chain. By ensuring all employees are up to speed on the global standard of ethical conduct in the workplace, Kellogg’s is once again at the forefront of customer service and recognition.

A hotline and web based reporting tools are both available to employees so that they can raise ethical questions and concerns confidentially and anonymously. Kellogg’s understands it is important for employees to feel safe and have confidential way to share any ethical concerns when they arise.

By making it mandatory for all employees to complete the Global Code of Ethics, and implementing the K Values as well, Kellogg’s has once again brought itself to the forefront of customer service and ethical practices.      

Taking the Rooster to Market

The world is constantly growing and changing. Stagnation offers no benefits to us as people and to companies around the world.

Today’s blog is going to discuss Kellogg’s marketing strategy and what makes the company so prominent.

In order for a company to garner success, they need to employ a marketing strategy that is innovative and delivers their message clearly. Kellogg’s utilizes a plethora of innovative strategies in order to ensure their marketing mix positions them high in the eyes of the consumer. As the worldwide leader in breakfast cereal sales ($14.2 billion for 2012) Kellogg’s has strong brand power and is positioned well in the eyes of potential consumers.

Kellogg’s product selection varies from the super healthy Kashi line of cereal and snacks, to the Fruit Loops, Eggo Waffles, and Pringle’s consumed by millions of starved individuals on a daily basis. This wide array of product selection offers more choices to the general population, all backed up by the powerful brand name and product quality that makes Kellogg’s what it is. Kellogg’s built this reputation through years of high quality products, as well as a general concern for the well-being of the people and families indulging in said products.

Kellogg’s, as a company, tries to uphold the values left behind by their founder, W.K. Kellogg. He was known to not only be a great entrepreneur, but also one of the great philanthropists of the 20^th century, giving away almost all of his wealth. More than a century later, Kellogg’s strives to keep his legacy alive by focusing philanthropic efforts on the communities lived in by employees, while also developing various social programs and sponsorship deals to help make the world a better place. These programs range from hunger relief efforts, to community development through support of the United Way. Sponsoring the American Olympic team allows Kellogg’s to support young and amateur athletics, the heart of true sport in my opinion.

 

American gymnasts on the cover of Corn Flakes

Kellogg’s is able to utilize its well-known brand name and innovative marketing strategy to sit atop the cereal throne year after year. By continuing to lead the charge in breakfast and snack new product development, Kellogg’s will be able to consistently battle for the #1 spot for years to come. I guarantee it.  

Expanding Earth

The world is immense…and growing in more ways than one.

There are over 7 billion people inhabiting the thriving mass of rock we call the Earth. Every person has a story, set of beliefs, and core cultural restraints that make up the very fabric of their being.

Today’s blog post will talk about the different cultural aspects that affect Kellogg’s day to day activities pertaining to their products. Because Kellogg’s products are marketed in 180 different countries around the globe, cultural sensitivity is a major factor when it comes to brand recognition and marketing strategy.

One of the biggest phenomena to encapsulate the world is the push for more nutritionally healthy meals. Obesity is a problem worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, afflictions attributed with being overweight or obese kill close to 2.8 million adults yearly and it’s listed as being the number 5 cause of death worldwide. More and more people have awoken to the dangers of obesity and as a result reach for the healthy option whenever they can.

Smart Start, a healthy breakfast option from Kellogg’s

Kellogg’s has been on the forefront of nutritional eating for the last 100 years. They were the very first in the food industry to hire a company dietitian to help offer advice about healthy food and lifestyle choices for families the world over. Mary Barber, a dietitian at Columbia University, was hired in 1923 as a home economist. She created the Home Economics Department which helped direct families towards well balanced and nutritious diets.

To this day, Kellogg’s still holds families and healthy eating in the highest regards. The continually make efforts to ensure the health and well-being of their valued customers by offering nutritious and delicious breakfast and snack options the whole family can enjoy.

With the ever prevalent presence of obesity slowly consuming the world, it’s nice to know there are some companies trying to help, instead of just adding to the problem.

The Choice of Happiness

Are you happy?

This question is loaded with back story. It can mean so many different things depending on the questioner, the context, and even the tone in which it’s asked. When it comes to the choices and decisions we have thrust upon us on a daily basis, the level of happiness we receive correlates to the choice we make. In theory, the more choice you have, the better chance for happiness you receive.

When it comes to choosing what to have for breakfast here in Canada, our selection is not as plentiful as our brethren to the south. Sure there’s always bacon and eggs, but what of the Count Chocula, the Honey Smacks, or the Smorez?

Today’s blog is going to talk about the research framework behind the choice discrepancy of cereal selection in Canada.

Everyday we’re faced with choices to make.

For the project, there will be two main thoughts when accumulating the data needed. The first is to utilize reports and statistics acquired from reputable databases like Statistics Canada or EBSCOhost. The second is gathering data first hand through the employment of surveys. By gathering information through a variety of sources, the stronger an argument one can make.

The most hands on approach to gathering research first hand are through surveys. By sampling a small portion of the population, we can speculate different things through the use of various demographical processes. These surveys will help determine if the brand or product has a viable chance of surviving in a new market. Determining the demand based on demographics will help a company know how and where to reach their target markets.

Databases hold a plethora of knowledge and facts waiting to be expedited and used to benefit the consumer. By knowing how much families spend per year on household necessities (roughly $8000 for 2012) or how much market share Kellogg’s owns (34.3%), we can help to determine numerous different aspects of the company and its plans for the future.

Research is the key. It can help turn a bad decision into a good one. By determining if the Canadian cereal market can withstand more brands before they’re introduced will save the company time and money.

I for one believe that more options we have to choose from directly improve our disposition. The freedom of choice is a powerful thing. You chose to read this, and I hope that was a good one.

Sleep is Good…Breakfast is Better

Mornings suck.

The only way to combat the fatigue and struggle of waking up every morning, for much of the general population, is by fueling up with breakfast.

Today’s blog is going to pertain to the Kellogg’s Corporation and their role in the global cereal and snack food business. Currently, Kellogg’s ranks as the world’s largest cereal company, with sales reaching $14.2 billion for the 2012 fiscal year. Their motto is, “nourishing families so they can flourish and thrive.” By taking care of breakfast for millions of people, Kellogg’s does just that.

Suffice to say, this large influx of revenue acquired by Kellogg’s helps ensure they are at the top of the ready-to-eat cereal industry. By constantly pouring revenue back into R&D, marketing, and brand awareness, Kellogg’s has been given the honor of being named the 58^th most valuable brand in the world and the 54^th most innovative company (according to Forbes.com).

Clever business decisions and acquisitions have enabled the company to enhance their position in the savory snack food market as well. In May of 2012, Kellogg’s acquired Pringles from P&G and instantly gained a brand recognized the world over. This acquisition enabled the company to reach the 2^nd position in the global savory snack food market and nearly tripled its international snack business (spanning more than 140 countries with a portfolio of snacks with 80+ flavors).

Kellogg’s acquired Pringles in 2012

Manufactured in 18 different countries, marketed to 180, Kellogg’s is as diverse as they are extensive. There are currently 7 business segments in which the company operates. Each segment takes care of a specific part of the global business plan. These segments include: US morning foods and Kashi, US snacks, US specialty, North America other, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Working in harmony, these segments recorded $14.197 million in gross revenues, with the US market accounting for 62.5% of the revenue.

With this being said, morning’s still suck. Waking up is one of the hardest parts of the day. Kellogg’s understands this, and they provide easy meals for the sleepy-eyed, the bed-heads, and the half-awakes who need something so simple to make, they can literally do it in their sleep.

I appreciate you looking out Kellogg’s. A bowl in the morning makes for a better day. I suggest trying it yourself.

Don’t Flake On Breakfast: A Brief Look At Kellogg’s

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Will Keith (or W.K.) Kellogg (1860-1951) believed in this philosophy through and through. Along with his brother, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (1852-1943), they believed in a breakfast food that differed from the popular dishes of the day. Times were changing, and being served fat laden, high cholesterol meals every morning was beginning to waiver on people.

Enter the corn flake. The Kellogg’s invention for a great tasting, better for you breakfast food, which brought a whole new spin on how mornings were looked at. In 1906, W.K. opened the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company and began producing his initial batches of corn flakes. The public loved this healthy breakfast option, as more and more Americans began the switch to ready-to-eat breakfast cereal (thanks as well to the pasteurization of milk).

Kellogg was bold and decisive in his marketing and brand positioning within the breakfast market itself. In 1923 he became the first in the food industry to hire a company dietitian. He brought in a specialist to help define the roles different foods play in a proper diet. This hiring helped solidify, in the public’s eye, the care and commitment the company showed towards the consumers dietary needs. While he marketed the dietary needs to parents, he offered mail-in box top promotions for children as a way for them to clamor for the cereal.

Some of the many brands associated with Kellogg’s

Kellogg expanded the brand, and began introducing different cereal lines and products. Kellogg’s® Corn Pops®, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes®, Kellogg’s® Honey Smacks™, Kellogg’s® Cocoa Krispies™ and Kellogg’s® Special K® all came to fruition under his tenure. Following his death in 1951, the Kellogg Corporation went on to reach extraordinary heights, and is presently one of the world’s top 60 most valuable brands and most innovative companies (according to Forbes.com).

Today, Kellogg’s is manufactured in 35 different countries and marketed to 180 worldwide. As the company continues to grow the message that W.K. left still holds true, they want to deliver better breakfasts that lead to better days.

So a big thanks to Mr. Kellogg (formalities needed for a man of his stature). I for one am grateful for his impact on breakfast and will forever look at a bowl of cereal differently again. You should too.