Product 19 Cereal: History, Nutrition & Packaging
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In a world of ever changing products, it’s common to find your favorites only to have them ripped away from you. In some cases, there are even movements begging to bring it back. It’s interesting to see these trends.
Product 19 cereal is one such product. Now, you can find the masses begging for it to be brought back and talking about the unfortunate demise. And yet, Product 19 cereal remains on the discontinued list from Kellogg’s.
Let’s look at this cereal in more detail.
| Product 19 Cereal | Facts |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1967 |
| Manufacturer | Kellogg's |
| Cereal Type | Multi-grain, nutritional breakfast cereal |
| Original Flavors | Single original flavor; corn, oats, wheat, and rice blend |
| Still Available | No — officially discontinued in 2016 |
| Country of Origin | United States |
| Parent Company | Kellogg's |
| Years in Production | 49 years (1967–2016) |
History
Product 19 was a cereal created by Kellogg’s in 1967. It really wasn’t anything super special. You might be able to compare it to something like Special K. Basically, the cereal was made with corn, oats, wheat, and rice. It was loaded with iron and several vitamins as well.
Product 19 was produced for almost 50 years before it was discontinued. Kellogg’s came up with this cereal in an effort to compete with the cereal name Total. Total came from General Mills and boasted things like multi-grains as well as nutrition with vitamins and minerals too.
So Kellogg responded by creating their own version of cereal that met the same criteria. It was designed to provide the eater with all of the recommended vitamins and minerals according to the US recommendations at the time. It was a healthy but also tasty cereal.
The cereal was marketed as health-conscious. They used a slogan like “instant nutrition” to really nail down the point. They also spoke of it being vital for busy moms and people who were generally in a hurry or had busy lives.
The cereal did market for nearly 50 years so there are several different marketing campaigns that can be found. The box was always simple with red and white colors but it did evolve and change some over the years with fresh looks on occasion. Every update still kept a simple red and white box.
It almost seems like this cereal started off really great but as Kellogg continued to expand their brand, it got left behind. Through the years marketing efforts were reduced and production also was reduced. This made it harder to stock and sales inadvertently were way down as a result.
This led to the cereal being officially discontinued as of 2016, 49 years after it began. Interestingly enough, the statistics really showed a steady decline. The numbers were reflective of very little production and very few sales by 2010 and yet they held on to the cereal until 2016.
News sources that covered the discontinuation of the cereal referred to this as “the long death of Product 19”, Kellgogs released an official statement about the discontiuation.
The cereal maintained a fan base through the years but that simply wasn’t enough to keep it in production. Despite various campaigns to bring the cereal back on both Facebook and Change.org
Product 19 Cereal Timeline
- 1961 — General Mills launches Total cereal, inspiring future competition
- 1967 — Kellogg's creates Product 19 to compete with Total cereal
- 1967 — Product 19 marketed as instant nutrition for busy consumers
- 2010 — Statistics show steep decline in production and sales
- 2016 — Kellogg's officially discontinues Product 19 after 49 years
- 2016 — News sources describe discontinuation as the long death
- 2016 — Fan campaigns launch on Facebook and Change.org for return
Product 19 Cereal vs Total Cereal
| Feature | Product 19 Cereal | Total Cereal |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 1967 | 1961 |
| Manufacturer | Kellogg's | General Mills |
| Texture | Light, flaked multi-grain blend | Light, flaked multi-grain blend |
| Key Ingredients | Corn, oats, wheat, and rice | Whole grain wheat |
| Nutritional Focus | 100% recommended vitamins and minerals | 100% recommended vitamins and minerals |
| Availability | Discontinued 2016 | Currently available |
| Marketing Angle | Instant nutrition for busy lifestyles | Whole grain nutrition and health focus |
When Was Product 19 Cereal Invented?
Product 19 cereal was produced by Kellogg’s in 1967. They produced the cereal as competition to Total, which was made by General Mills. Total had actually come out 6 years before Product 19 and it was doing well because it offered a nutrition focus.
Both cereals were known for sporting all of the recommended vitamins and a variety of minerals for nutrition. They used it to promote fast nutrition and even weight loss possibilities. It was really popular to a select group of people and those are the ones that begged for it to stay when they announced it was being discontinued.
Who Owns Product 19 Cereal?
Product 19 was owned by Kellogg’s and still is. However, it was officially discontinued by the brand in 2016. This cereal was on the market for 49 years from start to finish. The declines in production and sales really started to take hold in 2010 and yet the cereal hung in there until 2016.
Kellogg did state that the sales were simply not sufficient to keep the cereal on the market. However, it appears that before discontinuation, production was also heavily reduced so it wasn’t as readily available either.
Kellogg turned their focus elsewhere. They do make other nutritional cereals that are comparable but they’ve expanded. If you are at all familiar with the Special K line they have cereals that are similar and promote nutrition. The Special K line has other flavors and even products besides just cereal that you might be able to appreciate.
How Did Product 19 Get its Name?
There are two different stories behind the naming of Product 19. They might both have a little bit of truth to them but it’s hard to say for sure. Only Kellogg’s would be able to officially confirm or deny the stories.
However, we will share them both.
One theory is that Product 19 was named such because it was Kellogg’s 19th product produced. It’s unclear whether they meant it was their 19th product ever produced or whether it was the 19th product just in the year 1967 when it made its debut. Either way the title Product 19 does make sense.
The other theory is perhaps that Kellogg’s made 19 different variations of their formula before they settled on the final product and decided to start official production of the 19th version of the cereal. Again, Product 19 is fitting of this story and scenario as well.
They are both interesting stories. They must have simply had no brilliant or creative ideas for names and thus Product 19 was born.
Logo
Buying Product 19
Unfortunately, you can no longer buy Product 19. This cereal was discontinued as of 2016 but it had run its course even before that. Production was way down by 2016, as were sales.
However, if you are looking for something similar or perhaps a replacement, you might want to look up Special K. It is also a nutritional cereal that is made with whole grains but also adds fruits and nuts in some versions. They have different flavors.
The thing is that Special K was around even before Product 19 but they are very similar in comparison. The original Special K was the same whole grain flakes with a touch of sweetness. They have berries and other flavors that have also been around for some time.
Special K also contains 100% of the recommended dose for multiple vitamins and minerals. They’ve built this lineup to be pretty incredible. While it is not Product 19 you might just find some satisfaction in trying something with similar credibility. You might even decide that you like it better.
Now what you should know about Special K is that the line continues to grow. It has far more than just cereal. They have granola and a ton of other products. Here are some of them.
- Variety of cereal flavors
- Granola
- Pastry Crisps
- Chewy bars
- Protein bars
- Snack bars
- Protein shakes
All of these things are made with health in mind. They are designed to provide you nutrition and options.
To be clear, Special K is not Product 19. It is a wholly different line. Both are owned by Kellogg’s and Special K is simply something that you could use as an alternative. While it won’t be exactly the same, you might just find that it works for you and covers up the disappointment of the loss of Product 19 cereal.
Ingredients
- Milled Corn
- Sugar
- Whole Grain Oat Flour
- Wheat Flour
- Rice
- Contains 2% or Less of Defatted Wheat Germ
- Salt
- Malt Flavoring
- Annatto Color
- BHT for Freshness
- Vitamins & Minerals: Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate and Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin A Palmitate, Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide, Reduced Iron, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin D, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Folic Acid, Vitamin B12.
Nutrition
| Serving Size: | 1 cup (1 NLEA serving) (30g) | % Daily Value* |
| Amount Per Serving | ||
| Calories from Fat | 3.5 | |
| Calories | 112 | |
| Total Fat | 0.4g | 1% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.1g | 0% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 218mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 54mg | 2% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.8g | 3% |
| Sugars | 3.8g | |
| Protein | 2.6g | |
| Vitamin A | 15% | |
| Vitamin C | 100% | |
| Calcium | 0.5% | |
| Iron | 100% |
- Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Commericals
Frequently Asked Questions about Product 19 Cereal
When was Product 19 cereal invented?
Product 19 cereal was created by Kellogg's in 1967. It was developed as a direct competitor to General Mills' Total cereal, which had launched six years earlier in 1961 and was performing well due to its nutritional focus.
Why was Product 19 cereal discontinued?
Kellogg's officially discontinued Product 19 in 2016, citing insufficient sales to justify keeping it in production. The decline had actually begun much earlier, with statistics showing very little production and very few sales by 2010. Reduced marketing and distribution made the cereal harder to find, which further hurt sales in a self-reinforcing cycle.
How did Product 19 cereal get its name?
There are two competing theories about the name. One theory suggests it was Kellogg's 19th product ever produced, or possibly their 19th product released in 1967. The other theory relates to the cereal containing 19 specific nutrients. Only Kellogg's could officially confirm which story is accurate.
What did Product 19 cereal taste like?
Product 19 was made from corn, oats, wheat, and rice, and was loaded with iron and several vitamins. It was considered similar in nature to Special K cereal. It was designed to be both healthy and tasty, appealing to health-conscious consumers looking for a nutritious, no-fuss breakfast option.
Is there any chance Product 19 cereal will come back?
As of the information available, Product 19 remains on Kellogg's discontinued list. Despite active campaigns on both Facebook and Change.org from loyal fans requesting its return, Kellogg's has not brought it back. Kellogg's has shifted its nutritional cereal focus to its expanded Special K product line instead.
Product 19 stayed crispy, despite the milk, longer than any other cereals I have tried. I don’t know what gave it that quality
Product 19 also began with more vitamins that it ended with, starting with 100% of a long list and ending with only C at that level and a reduced list of others, none over 30% of daily doses. At its original levels it was quite possible (if you ate a whole box: a not impossible binge) to approach toxic levels. The amounts were lowered, and the list was trimmed several times in the 80’s and 90’s as the possibility of vitamin overdose became more widely known. I aways took an increasing awareness of the dangers of vitamin overdose as a reason for declining sale and the withdrawal of the product itself.