The History of Quaker Oats

Oat milling first heated up in North America in the 1850s, with Ferdinand Schumacher founding German Mills American Cereal Company in Ohio and John Stuart starting the North Star Mills Company in Canada. In 1877, Quaker Oats registered the first trademark for a breakfast cereal; according to two former owners, Henry Seymour and William Heston, the trademarked figure of a man in “Quaker garb” and the accompanying name were selected as a symbol of quality and honest value. However, the company struggled, and in 1881, Henry Parsons Crowell purchased the bankrupt Quaker Mill in Ravenna, Ohio along with its most important asset – the Quaker brand name. A year later, Cromwell launched the first national magazine advertising campaign that centered around a breakfast cereal. In 1888, seven of America’s largest oat millers united as the American Cereal Company and in 1890, they began running a special train between Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Portland, Oregon that carried nothing but sample boxes of Quaker Oats. Notably, these are considered the first-ever “trial size” samples; they were delivered to every mailbox in Portland. In 1891, Quaker became the first brand to include a recipe on the box — instructions for making Oatmeal Bread. In 1901, the American Cereal Company officially changed its name to The Quaker Oats Company. In 1908, Oat Cakes became the first oatmeal cookie to be featured on Quaker Oats packaging. The iconic round Quaker Oats package was introduced in 1915 and in 1922, Quaker Quick Oats were rolled out. In 1961, the company debuted Life cereal and in 1966, Quaker Instant Oatmeal was introduced. The first instant oatmeal flavor, Maple & Brown Sugar, made its regional debut in 1970. Quaker’s line of granola bars, Quaker Chewy, debuted in 1981 and in 1987, actor Wilford Brimley became the first celebrity to work with the brand. Quaker introduced the first FDA-approved, food-specific health claim for oatmeal in 1997, which centered around heart health. Then in 2017, Quaker Oats celebrated its 140th anniversary. Today, Quaker Oats remains a beloved brand that is regularly used to make oatmeal, baked goods, and more.