FOOD NEWS
You Should Know These 13 Facts About Quaker Oats
BY DANIELLE TURNER
No Link To Quaker Religion
Quaker Oats has no connection to the Quaker religion, aka The Religious Society of Friends, known for its principles of peace, equality, and simplicity.
The first owners of the company, Henry Seymour and William Heston, used the Quaker name because it’s synonymous with values they wanted to communicate such as honesty and goodness.
The Mascot Is Called Larry
The man depicted in the Quaker Oats logo is known as Larry. The smiling, white-haired man is a fictional character created to represent the brand.
Larry has undergone numerous updates since the first headshot appeared in 1956. The character is meant to symbolize the wholesome values the company wants to project to consumers.
Steel Cuts Oats Came First
Quaker Oats' first product was steel cut oats because they were minimally processed and resembled rice. They were simply chopped into tiny pieces.
The company also produces rolled oats, which are steamed and flattened for a smoother texture and easy cooking, and instant oatmeal, made with pre-cooked oats for easy preparation.
First Trademarked Cereal
Henry Parsons Crowell, owner of the Quaker Oat Mill, registered a trademark for Quaker Oats in 1877, featuring the image of a character in Quaker clothes.
This was the first trademark in history for a breakfast cereal. It set the tone for other companies to protect their brands and demonstrated the company's flair for marketing.
Recipes On Packaging
Quaker came up with the simple but clever marketing strategy of printing recipes on packaging in 1886. The first on-package recipe was for oatmeal bread.
Other brands later copied Quaker’s innovative idea, responding to the strategy’s success in engaging customers and promoting product use, thus setting a trend in the food industry.