About Quaker For over 130 years, we've been inspired by the power and wholesome goodness of the amazing oat. See how we've grown with it. yr1 yr2 yr3 yr4 yr5 yr6 yr7 yr8 yr9 yr10 yr11 yr12 yr13 yr14 yr15 yr16 yr17 Ferdinand Schumacher founds German Mills American Cereal Company in Akron, OH. During the same period, John Stuart established the North Star Mills Company in Canada. Quaker Oats registered as the first trademark for a breakfast cereal. The trademark was registered with the U.S. Patent Office as "a figure of a man in 'Quaker garb.'" Both former owners, Henry Seymour and William Heston, claimed to have selected the Quaker name as a symbol of good quality and honest value. Henry Parsons Crowell buys the bankrupt Quaker Mill in Ravenna, OH, and its most important asset – the brand name Quaker. Crowell launches the first national magazine advertising program for a breakfast cereal. The American Cereal Company runs a special all-Quaker Oats train from Cedar Rapids, IA to Portland, OR and introduces the first ever "trial-size samples." 1/2 oz. sample boxes of Quaker Oats are delivered to every mailbox in Portland, OR. Two more firsts – Quaker Oats introduced the idea of packaged premiums by inserting chinaware items into boxes of oats, plus we became the first brand to feature a recipe on its box (the recipe was for Oatmeal Bread). Oat Cakes become the first oatmeal cookie to appear on the Quaker Oats package. The familiar round Quaker Oats package is introduced. Quaker introduces Quaker Quick Oats, one of the first convenience products. Life® Cereal is introduced in its original flavor. Quaker Instant Oatmeal is introduced. The first flavored instant oatmeal is introduced – Maple & Brown Sugar is distributed nationally and Date & Brown Sugar is distributed regionally. Quaker introduces the world to chewy granola bars with Quaker Chewy®. Actor Wilford Brimley stars in the advertising campaign, "The Right Thing To Do," which runs for over 5 years. The Quaker Oats Company submits a heart health petition to the FDA for consideration. The FDA issues a proposal for the first health claim for a specific food – oatmeal for heart health. The first food-specific health claim for oatmeal is approved by the FDA. The new heart health claim appears on Quaker Oatmeal cereals which qualify. The claim reads: "Soluble fiber from oatmeal as part of a low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet, may reduce the risk of heart disease." This was also the first year of the Smart Heart Challenge. Quaker celebrates our 130-year anniversary. The famous Quaker man (affectionately known as Larry) undergoes a subtle makeover-including getting back in shape by eating right and exercising, trimming his famous coif and revealing more radiant skin from daily oatmeal masks. NEWSLETTER SIGN UP Contact Quaker Privacy Policy Ads And Tracking Terms And Conditions PEPSICO Careers © Quaker Oats Company, 2015