Kellogg Company and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) operate independently and are legally separate entities. The foundation is governed by its own independent board of trustees.
We have a shared history. The iconic Kellogg Company brand, and the generations of local families who have sustained it, have been an integral part of our community here in Battle Creek, Michigan. Mr. Kellogg’s creation of the Kellogg Foundation is connected to Kellogg Company. Representatives of the foundation serve on the Company’s board and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Trust. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Trust is a charitable trust created by Mr. Kellogg for the sole benefit of the foundation, and is a large shareholder of Kellogg Company.
Mr. Kellogg’s extraordinary humility and visionary belief in people, and his belief in the power of communities to forge solutions for the health, happiness and well-being of their children, are values that continue to define our work and our culture every day. For more than 92 years, the Kellogg Foundation has invested in our hometown of Battle Creek to ensure that vulnerable children and families thrive. We partner with the community to make Battle Creek among the best places to raise a child in Michigan by building and supporting systems that produce equitable outcomes for children and families.
Kellogg Company’s announcement today of its plan to establish three independent public companies also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Battle Creek community in the future – as well as other communities in which it is involved worldwide. This commitment is important to WKKF as residents of Battle Creek; as members of the downtown Battle Creek workforce; and as stakeholders in the Company, this community and the success of all the children and families we are lucky to serve every day in our shared hometown.
We believe this announcement is not about reduction, but about creation and growth. We appreciate that the North America Cereal Co. and Plant Co. will both remain headquartered in Battle Creek, and Global Snacking Co. will maintain dual campuses in Battle Creek and Chicago. Importantly, according to Kellogg Company, most employees will see little to no change regarding their day-to-day job responsibilities and expectations; no employees will be asked to relocate as a result of this announcement; and executives will maintain offices in each location. Kellogg Company has also indicated there are no plans to close any plants, and the Company does not anticipate any plant job loss. Instead, we look forward to seeing how this strategy and the continued stewardship of Mr. Kellogg’s legacy of compassionate leadership will provide employees with new opportunities to build rewarding career paths.
Kellogg Company has indicated that the process to separate into three independent companies will take approximately 18 months. As we understand it, this plan has the potential to shape a historic next chapter for Kellogg Company and its workforce. Children are more likely to thrive when their families are economically secure. To achieve this, parents and caregivers must have access to quality jobs that pay a family-sustaining wage and give them the flexibility to be full and active participants in their child’s life. We are hopeful that the three companies emerging from the Kellogg Company of today will continue to share the foundation’s unwavering belief and commitment to the future of Battle Creek and the people who call it home.
