Tukwila, WA – What started 90 years ago in Seattle by an entrepreneurial woman named Rose Charters is today one of the most beloved baking mix brands in America, Krusteaz®. In celebration of the brand’s 90th anniversary, Krusteaz parent company, Continental Mills, announces its name change to The Krusteaz Company. The name change honors the brand’s roots of entrepreneurialism and ingenuity – notably Charters’ innovation of the world’s first just-add-water pie crust in 1932 – which are woven into the DNA of the company.
Family-owned and operated, The Krusteaz Company is focused on the power of food to inspire joyful connection through making, baking and sharing.
“Our mission as an organization is to build the most beloved and wow-inspiring brands in the industry, including Krusteaz as our flagship brand,” said Andy Heily, President and CEO of The Krusteaz Company. “We say that Krusteaz is ‘by makers for makers’ and our 800+ employees are makers, rooted in a spirit of fierce pride. This name change is as much about honoring our past as it is about looking forward to a future built on a culture of ingenuity that will continue to deliver some of the most beloved and trusted brands.”
Known for its iconic pancake and waffle mix, today Krusteaz is sold in every major retailer across the US, making more than 100 delicious products including mixes for pancakes, waffles, muffins, quick breads, cookies, dessert bars, cornbread, crumb cakes and a line of Gluten Free products as well as high protein and whole grain options. Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake mix is so popular that one box is sold every other second, and enough pancakes are sold each year to circle the Earth nearly two times.
The Krusteaz Company is also home to more than 150 other quality products, including private label and licensed brands and well-known baking, breakfast and snack brands, including WildRoots® trail mixes, Buck WildTM snacks, Kretschmer® Wheat Germ, Albers® Cornmeal and Grits and Alpine® Cider. The Krusteaz Company manufactures at its hometown plants in Kent, Washington as well as Effingham, Illinois, Manhattan, Kansas and Hopkinsville, Kentucky – known as the Batter Capital of the World.
“What strikes me, inspires me really, is that our first product, the Krusteaz pie crust, hit grocery shelves in the early 1930s, when Seattle was in the grip of the Great Depression,” continued Heily. “Ingenuity in the face of challenge has always been our way, and I know today as consumers face pressures from all sides, including rising grocery costs, we want to continue to find ways to inspire them. We are a family of makers, who hopes that when families open their pantries, seeing one of our products is a moment of joy and possibility.”
The Krusteaz Company will host a 90th birthday party celebration at its headquarters in Tukwila, Washington on September 14 and local plant celebrations throughout the remainder of the month.
For more information about Krusteaz products, visit www.Krusteaz.com.
ABOUT THE KRUSTEAZ COMPANY
The Krusteaz Company is a third generation, family-owned maker of some of the best-loved breakfast, baking and snack brands. Under the portfolio of breakfast and baking is flagship brand Krusteaz®, as well as Kretschmer® Wheat Germ, Albers® Cornmeal and Grits, Alpine® Cider, and several licensed product extensions. The Krusteaz Company’s snacking portfolio includes WildRoots® Trail Mixes and Buck WildTM snack mixes sold in Retail and Club stores. The Krusteaz Company headquarters is located in Tukwila, WA, just outside of Seattle, and products are sold through retail, foodservice, and club store channels throughout the United States.
The Krusteaz Company employs 800+ employees, and is committed to addressing food insecurity in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America through the “Feeding Great Futures” initiative, as well as work with Food Lifeline, Feeding America and other local non-profit organizations.
For more information, visit www.TheKrusteazCompany.com.
