Weetabix Limited facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Breakfast cereal |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Headquarters | Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire, UK |
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Area served
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Europe, North America |
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Key people
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Managing Director: Sally Abbott |
| Products | Weetabix, Alpen, Ready Brek, Weetos, Crunchy Bran, Puffins |
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Number of employees
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c. 2,000 |
| Parent | Post Holdings |
Weetabix Ltd., also known as the Weetabix Food Company, is a big company that makes breakfast cereals. Some of their famous brands include Weetabix, Alpen, Crunchy Bran, and Ready Brek. They also make Puffins cereal and Snackimals snacks through a part of their company called Barbara's Bakery.
Contents
History of Weetabix
The idea for Weetabix started in Australia in the 1920s. A man named Bennison Osborne invented a food product. He and his friend Malcolm MacFarlane launched a cereal called Weet-Biscs in Australia and New Zealand.
Later, Osborne and MacFarlane decided to bring their cereal to England. They started a new company there in 1932. They used an old flour mill in Burton Latimer, England, to make their cereal.
To make it different from the cereal sold in other countries, they decided to call their product "Weetabix" in the United Kingdom. In 1936, the company officially changed its name to Weetabix Limited.
Weetabix is a special company because it holds a royal warrant from Queen Elizabeth II. This means the Queen's household uses their products.
The cereal Alpen was created in 1971. A company executive was on holiday in Switzerland and tried a local food he liked. This gave him the idea for Alpen.
Over the years, Weetabix has been owned by different companies. In 2003, an American company called HM Capital bought it. Then, in 2004, Lion Capital LLP owned it. In 2012, a Chinese company called Bright Food bought most of the company.
In 2017, an American company called Post Holdings bought Weetabix for a lot of money.
It's important to know that Weetabix does not own the rights to its product in Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa. In those countries, the cereal is still called Weet-Bix. It is made by other companies there.
In 2021, Weetabix had some disagreements with its workers about job changes and pay.
Awards Weetabix Has Won
Weetabix has won three Queen's Awards for Export. These awards are given to British businesses that are very successful in selling their products to other countries. The last time they won was in 2004.
How Weetabix Works
The main office of Weetabix is in Burton Latimer, England. Their large factory site is next to a major road. They also have another factory in Ashton-under-Lyne.
Every year, the company makes 3 billion Weetabix breakfast biscuits at its Kettering factory. That's a huge number of cereals!
Weetabix also makes cereals for many big supermarkets. These are often sold under the supermarket's own brand name.
The company has factories in Europe, East Africa, and North America. It is the biggest maker of breakfast cereals in the UK. Weetabix sells its products to 80 different countries around the world. As of 2012, about 2,000 people worked for the company.
The managing director, who is like the boss, of the company is Sally Abbott.
Weetabix Brands
Weetabix Food Company makes many different types of cereals and snacks. Here are some of their well-known brands:
- Alpen: This cereal is a mix of rolled oats, whole wheat flakes, nuts, and fruit.
- Barbara's Bakery: This company, based in California, USA, was bought by Weetabix in 1986. They are famous for their Puffins Cereal line.
- Crunchy Bran: This cereal is made from wheat bran and is known for its crunchy texture.
- GrainShop: This brand is mostly sold in North America. It includes cereals like High Fibre Crisp and Honey Almond Crunch. High Fibre Crisp is a blend of four different grains. Honey Almond Crunch has oats, flakes, almonds, and honey.
- Oatibix: These products are made from oats instead of wheat. The original Oatibix cereal looks a lot like Weetabix but is made from whole grain oats. Oatibix Bitesize are smaller versions. They come in flavors like Sultana & Apple or Chocolate & Raisin.
- Oatibix Flakes: These are oat-based flakes for breakfast.
- Ready Brek: This is an oat-based breakfast cereal that you eat hot. It comes in 'Original', 'Chocolate', and 'Seriously Oaty' flavors.
- Weetabix: This is the company's most famous product. It's a whole grain wheat breakfast cereal that comes in palm-sized biscuits. Weetabix is the top-selling breakfast cereal in the UK. It is made in factories in England and Canada and sold in 80 countries.
- Weetabix Bitesize: This is a smaller, bite-sized version of Weetabix. It's easier to pour into a bowl, like other cereals.
- Weetabix Minis: These are sweeter versions of Weetabix Bitesize. They come with different additions like Chocolate Crisp, Banana Crisp, Fruit & Nut Crisp, and Honey & Nut Crisp.
- Weetaflakes: These are wheat flakes made by the company.
- Weetos: This is a chocolate-flavored whole grain cereal.
Sponsorships
Weetabix has sponsored many events over the years.
- They were the main sponsor of the Women's British Open golf tournament from 1987 to 2006.
- They also sponsored the Northamptonshire Police in the UK, even providing a mobile police station in 2004.
- Weetabix was one of the sponsors for the World Cup in Argentina in 1978.
- In 1986, Weetabix was the main sponsor of the first BMX World Championships held in the UK. This event brought over 2,000 BMX racers from all over the world to Slough, Berkshire.
