Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • December 2005 (Revised April 2011)
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

C.W. Post

By: Nitin Nohria, Anthony Mayo and Mark Benson
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:26
ShareBar

Abstract

In 1906, C.W. Post had to move his latest breakfast product--corn flakes--from store shelves into cereal bowls nationwide. Post genuinely believed his corn flakes and other breakfast foods would make people well. Through sampling and other innovative sales and marketing techniques, Post convinced consumers and grocers to buy Postum and Grape-Nuts--which generated millions in profits for the Postum Cereal Co. But not Elijah's Manna--the brand name that Post put on his corn flakes boxes when his company introduced the product in 1904. Two years later, it was clearly not selling. To make matters worse, other cereal companies in the burgeoning Battle Creek area where Post's foods were manufactured were cornering the market, in particular, Kelloggs. How was Post going to convince consumers that his corn flakes were better than the rest?

Keywords

Entrepreneurship; Innovation and Invention; Brands and Branding; Product Marketing; Sales; Food and Beverage Industry; Battle Creek

Citation

Nohria, Nitin, Anthony Mayo, and Mark Benson. "C.W. Post." Harvard Business School Case 406-063, December 2005. (Revised April 2011.)
  • Educators
  • Purchase

About The Authors

Nitin Nohria

→More Publications

Anthony Mayo

Organizational Behavior
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • October 2021
    • Faculty Research

    A Framework for Understanding Racial Disadvantage within Organizations

    By: Alexandra C. Feldberg, Letian Zhang and Anthony J. Mayo
    • September 2021
    • Faculty Research

    Growing Pains at Coohom (B)

    By: Letian Zhang and Anthony J. Mayo
    • September 2021
    • Faculty Research

    Growing Pains at Coohom (A)

    By: Letian Zhang and Anthony J. Mayo
More from the Authors
  • A Framework for Understanding Racial Disadvantage within Organizations By: Alexandra C. Feldberg, Letian Zhang and Anthony J. Mayo
  • Growing Pains at Coohom (B) By: Letian Zhang and Anthony J. Mayo
  • Growing Pains at Coohom (A) By: Letian Zhang and Anthony J. Mayo
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College