The History of Cap'n Crunch Cereal

Cap’n Crunch Cereal was introduced by the Quaker Oats Company in 1963. While working on the development of the cereal, the company brought in the Arthur D. Little research firm in Massachusetts. A flavorist working there named Pamela Low played a significant role in developing the flavoring that coats the corn and oat cereal pieces — she based it on her grandmother Luella Low's recipe for rice served with a butter and brown sugar sauce. The Quaker Oats Company also set their cereal up for success through savvy marketing. After conducting a survey in the early 1960s that concluded kids preferred crunchy foods over soggy textures, the company came up with taglines like, "I stay crunchy, even in milk." The company also created the cereal’s eponymous mascot, Cap’n Crunch, to drive home the point and appeal to kids. Quaker Oats hired Jay Ward, co-creator of the popular 1960s cartoon characters Rocky and Bullwinkle, to create a series of animated Cap’n Crunch commercials in a similar artistic style to that of the hit cartoon. (The character was also voiced by actor Daws Butler, who also lent his talents to Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound.) The new cereal made its debut in 1963 and became quite popular. Just a few years later, in 1967, the first spin-off product debuted: Crunch Berries. Just two years after that, Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch hit the market and dozens more spin-off flavors have been added to the lineup since then. Today, Cap’n Crunch remains a beloved cereal and can still be found on grocery store shelves all across America.