News Releases

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., Feb. 4, 2016 - 

Tweetable Highlight:  @KelloggCompany exceeds hunger relief milestone, provides 1 billion servings to those in need http://ow.ly/XWNki

 

By Kris Charles, Vice President, Communications, Philanthropy and Sustainability

 

Each day, too many people who struggle with hunger around the world start their day without breakfast. This could be a complete stranger, your child's classmate, our neighbors, our friends – even our own family.

 

At Kellogg, we know the power of breakfast can have on your day – and the thought of someone missing the most important meal of the day is, frankly, unacceptable. And as the world's leading cereal company, this is an area where we can have a meaningful impact.

 

That's why supporting hunger relief has been a priority of our company for decades. In 2013, we took our support a step further by launching Breakfasts for Better Days – our global signature cause with a commitment to provide 1 billion servings of cereal and snacks to families in need around the world by the end of 2016.

 

Fast forward three years later, and we're pleased to share that thanks to outstanding work from our teams and partners across the globe, we've exceeded that commitment – early.

 

This important work includes support for critical school breakfast programs in more than 30 countries across the Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Canada and the U.S. These breakfast programs help children start their school days with full bellies, ready to learn. As a teacher in South Africa shared, "a hungry child struggles to follow what is going on in the classroom." No child should start the day with this kind of deficit.

 

Our support for breakfast programs extends beyond just financial contributions and food. For example, in the U.K., we recently launched a partnership with the University of Northumbria that developed a free, online training course to help teachers, breakfast club coordinators and volunteers operate their clubs more effectively – and gain increased access to sources of funding. In the first year of the program, 150 schools completed the training.

 

And our Kellogg employees around the world have a passion for our cause and lend their own time to make an impact too. This includes employees like Julie M., who has seen the faces of hunger firsthand. Julie and her team help distribute thousands of pounds of Kellogg products from its facilities across the country, working with Feeding America for distribution to food banks throughout the U.S. She feels so strongly about this work, she also serves a volunteer with the Food Bank of South Central Michigan, where she's Vice-Chair of its Board of Directors.

 

Julie is just one of many Kellogg employees who feel passionately about this cause. For example, as part of our company-wide global service project in honor of World Food Day in October, the company and our employees collected 2.1 million servings of food supporting food banks in 33 countries.

 

As a result of all this work, we've provided more than 1.4 billion servings of cereal and snacks to those who need it most since the launch of Breakfasts for Better Days.

 

But what does that mean exactly? Just how much food is reaching those in need? The number of servings we've donated, for example, equals 62.5 million pounds. That equates to filling nearly 1,800 semi-trucks with food.

 

Yet Breakfasts for Better Days isn't just an abstract number – providing more than a billion servings of food. It's about addressing hunger, one child at a time. One person at a time. One meal at a time.

 

The sad fact remains that today, one in nine people are going hungry around the world. Our work has only just begun. There's so much more work to do. So many people to help. And we're up for the challenge and will continue to play a role in the months and years ahead.

 

Our purpose is nourishing families so they can flourish and thrive. We've been doing so for 110 years. And we will do so for generations to come.

 

About Kellogg Company
At Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), we are driven to enrich and delight the world through foods and brands that matter. With 2014 sales of $14.6 billion and more than 1,600 foods, Kellogg is the world's leading cereal company; second largest producer of cookies, crackers and savory snacks; and a leading North American frozen foods company. Our brands – Kellogg's®, Keebler®, Special K®, Pringles®, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes®, Pop-Tarts®, Kellogg's Corn Flakes®, Rice Krispies®, Cheez-It®, Eggo®, Mini-Wheats® and more – nourish families so they can flourish and thrive. Through our Breakfasts for Better Days™ initiative, we're providing 1 billion servings of cereal and snacks – more than half of which are breakfasts – to children and families in need around the world by the end of 2016. To learn more, visit www.kelloggcompany.com or follow us on Twitter @KelloggCompany, YouTube and on Social K.