Corporate Profile
Cereals
Ralston Foods
Ralston Foods remains
the nation’s largest supplier
of high quality
private label cereal, producing
both ready-to-eat
(RTE) and hot cereals.
Its extended product line
includes organic cereals,
snack mixes, cereal and
nutrition bars, and other
custom products. The
company offers more
than 40 RTE varieties,
including emulations
of over 30 of the top
national brands and
more than 20 hot cereals.
With over 100 years in
the cereal business, the
company delivers the
product consistency and
service excellence its customers
demand. Using
only quality ingredients
in its modern, efficient
plants, Ralston Foods
upholds strict production
standards while
maximizing operations
and logistics capabilities
to meet the growing
needs of its customers.
A team of 1,500 plus employees across seven locations ensures high quality products, customer satisfaction, and competitive pricing.
The company also leads the industry by providing value-added services to enhance the consumer experience. Ralston Foods partners with retailers to grow their in-store categories through custom package design, in-store marketing, couponing, promotions, and more.
Post Foods
Post Foods produces
and sells a wide variety
of nationally acclaimed
name-brand ready-to-eat (RTE) cereals
for the U.S., Canada,
and for export. With
plants in Battle Creek,
MI, Jonesboro, AR,
Modesto, CA, and
Niagara Falls, Ontario,
Canada, Post has a more
than 110-year heritage
that has defined the
breakfast experience
for generations of
families. Several of Post’s
trademarks are leading
cereals, including Honey
Bunches of Oats® and
Pebbles® in the U.S.,
as well as Shreddies,®
Post’s leading trademark
in Canada. This year
Post introduced several
new items, including
an extension to the
Honey Bunches of Oats
franchise called Just
Bunches!. Post utilizes
a broad range of production
processes including
flaking, shredding,
and gun-puffing.
During the past
year, significant
improvements
were made to the
company’s production
capabilities.
Unique marketing
programs for consumers,
as well
as customized
packaging and
category management
information
for retailers,
further enhance the
high value of Post
brands and strengthen
shopper loyalty.
In 1895, working in a little white barn in Battle Creek, Michigan, C.W. Post made the first batch of what he named Postum, a cereal beverage. In 1897, Post introduced Grape-Nuts,® one of the first ready-to-eat cold cereals, as an all-natural cereal that enhances health and vitality. He followed the success of Grape- Nuts® with a corn flakes product which he called Elijah’s Manna, renamed Post Toasties in 1908. Post Raisin Bran was introduced in 1942 and remains Post’s highest fiber cereal today, with 8 grams of fiber per serving. Alpha-Bits,® launched in 1958 and reintroduced in 2008 after a short absence, is recognized for its unique alphabet shapes and strong brand awareness. Post Selects® is a premium brand that features varieties with on trend ingredients and flavors.
In 2008, Post Selects was an official sponsor of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Post Shredded Wheat is the “good-for-you” cereal with a 100-plus-year heritage. It is a 100% natural whole grain cereal, and is an excellent source of fiber. Honey Bunches of Oats® is a megabrand with the second highest pound share in the RTE Cereals category. Introduced in 1989, it has experienced 18 consecutive years of growth. Pebbles,® launched in 1970, is a very popular children's cereal.
Snacks
Ralcorp’s Snack businesses,
each an industry
leader in its category,
include Bremner Food
Group, Inc., Nutcracker
Brands, Inc., Medallion
Foods, Inc., and Linette
Quality Chocolates.
Producing primarily
value and store brand
products in the grocery,
mass merchandise and
drug trades, they also
have a small presence
with branded products
in selected categories.
These businesses were
combined into a single
operating unit in 2008
to leverage sales and
marketing opportunities.
Bremner has seven
facilities in the U.S.
and produces a full line
of cracker products,
enrobed and wire cut
cookies, sugar wafers and
sandwich crème cookies.
Nutcracker Brands produces
a variety of snack
nuts and trail mixes. Its
newly expanded facility
in Alabama now also
handles capacity from
a Massachusetts plant
which was closed this
year, thus reducing costs
and increasing production
capabilities.
Medallion Foods, with
its facility located in
Arkansas, produces
a variety of corn based
salty snacks
including tortilla chip
and extruded corn
meal snacks. Linette
Quality Chocolates
produces a variety of
high quality specialty
chocolate products at
its manufacturing plant
in Pennsylvania. Harvest Manor Farms, based in El Paso Texas, produces Hoodys® Branded Snack Nuts.
Frozen Bakery Products
Ralcorp Frozen Bakery produces
branded and custom,
value-added bakery products,
and markets them
to leading customers in
the foodservice, instore
bakery, retail, and
club channels. Major
customers include both
national and regional
quick service and casual
dining restaurants,
supermarket chains, mass
merchandisers, and foodservice
distributors. The
company is a national
leader in frozen griddle
products (pancakes,
French toast and waffles)
for foodservice and retail,
one of the largest providers
of pre-baked cookies
and artisan breads to
in-store bakery, and
also a major provider of
premium frozen biscuits
for foodservice.
Frozen
Bakery also is a leader
in the artisan bread
category, offering a
comprehensive line of
frozen, pre-baked breads
and rolls, plus signature
products for major
customers. Recent introductions
include whole
grain and ancient grain
artisan breads, nutritionally
enhanced
frozen griddle
products, thaw-and-serve
Danish and sliced
biscuits, and holiday
cookies. From its ten
facilities in the U.S. and
Canada, the company
utilizes sophisticated
equipment and processes
to reduce time, labor and
cost for operators and
retailers, while providing
consistently high quality
for consumers.
Sauces and Spreads
Carriage House is the
nation’s largest supplier
of store brand preserves
and jellies, peanut butter,
table syrups and
dressings. It is a leading
maker of private label
sauces, and also offers a
variety of cocktail mixers
in the beverage channel.
Most of its products are
available in several brand
emulations, providing
top quality alternatives
to the national brands.
Customers include
leading grocery retailers,
wholesalers, mass merchandisers,
drug chains
and foodservice companies.
Carriage House
products are prepared in
its four plants, located
in New York, Kentucky
and Illinois.
A number
of process improvements
and capital investments
have been made in the
manufacturing network
to drive efficiencies and
maximize superior quality.
With a focus on new
product development as
well, sugar free offerings
in preserves, jellies and
syrup reflect an ongoing
commitment to provide
even more healthy
products. Through
numerous marketing and
merchandising programs,
Carriage House helps its
customers market their
brands to their shoppers
through vehicles such
as Display Shippers, for
secondary locations in
their stores, and Band
Packs, where two
complementary items
are banded together
for consumer value
and convenience.