Two brothers invented flaked cereal in 1894, but a bitter feud over sugar tore them apart and created a breakfast empire worth millions. 🥣 📜 Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a health-obsessed physician, and his younger brother Will Keith Kellogg worked together at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a popular health resort in Michigan. Their accidental discovery came when they left cooked wheat sitting out overnight. When rolled, it formed perfect flakes that could be toasted. John, the more famous brother, patented the invention in 1895 under only his name - a decision that deeply hurt Will, who claimed he had refined the process alongside John's wife, Ella. Their first commercial product, "Granose" wheat flakes, debuted in 1895. Corn flakes followed in 1898 as "Sanitas Toasted Corn Flakes." The brothers' relationship fractured permanently in 1906 when Will wanted to add sugar to make the cereal more appealing to average Americans. John, who believed in plain foods as part of his strict health regimen, refused. Will broke away, launching the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company with his own recipe that added the sweetness Americans craved. John, feeling betrayed, later tried selling similar cereal using the Kellogg name. Will sued his own brother and won exclusive rights to use their family name for cereal products. While Dr. John is remembered for his medical legacy, it was Will's business acumen and marketing innovations that transformed a health food into an American breakfast staple. The bitter rivalry between the Kellogg brothers lasted their entire lives, showing how even family bonds can break under the weight of different visions and disputed credit. Will's company, renamed Kellogg Company in 1922, grew into the global food giant we know today, worth billions of dollars - all because he understood Americans preferred their cereal with a spoonful of sugar. Sources: Kellogg Company Archives, Battle Creek Historical Society, U.S. Patent No. 558,393 #cerealhistory