Cheerioats Launches: A Breakfast Icon Is Born
General Mills introduced Cheerioats to six test markets on May 1, 1941, the first ready-to-eat oat cereal. The product was unique because it used a puffing gun to form the distinctive O-shape. The name was changed to Cheerios in 1945 after Quaker Oats complained about trademark similarity. Cheerios became the best-selling cereal in America and has held that position for most of the past three decades. The brand's marketing genius was targeting parents concerned about childhood nutrition: Cheerios contains no artificial colors or flavors and is low in sugar compared to most competitors. The "finger food for babies" angle, where toddlers pick up individual Os from their high chair trays, made it an essential part of American parenthood.
May 2, 1941
85 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on May 2
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