How Canada's oldest flour mill is reviving an iconic Manitoba cereal brand
A historic flour mill in Ontario is putting a beloved Manitoba cereal brand back on store shelves.
Red River Cereal was first created in Manitoba in 1924. The popular cream-of-wheat-style hot cereal was sold in grocery stores across North America for nearly 100 years until it was discontinued in 2021.
It was around this time that Mark Rinker and his wife purchased the historic Arva Flour Mill near London, Ont. The mill had been in business for more than two centuries, but Rinker said it was in danger of being torn down.
"My offer was the only one that wasn’t from a developer, and my goal was to keep the business running as it was, keep the mill running," he said.
Rinker and his wife purchased the historic Arva Flour Mill near London, Ont. in 2021. The mill had been in business for more than two centuries, but was in danger of being torn down. (Source: Arva Flour Mill)After purchasing the mill, Rinker said he began to notice customers at the attached retail store asking about Red River Cereal.
"I started doing research and discovered that Red River was this iconic Canadian breakfast cereal that was nearly a century old," he said.
Rinker became fascinated with the brand's story. He felt it was similar to that of the mill.
"How upset people were that this cereal brand - that was clearly beloved - was discontinued. And it was very much the same type of reaction as when the mill went up for sale."
Rinker reached out to the corporate office of Smucker's, which now owned the defunct cereal brand.
"Smucker's was really good to deal with the whole way along," said Rinker. "They were interested in the brand ending up in the hands of a 200-year-old flour mill."
The two sides came to an agreement, and Rinker officially bought the rights to produce Red River Cereal in June 2022.
"We got the trademarks of the original brand, and the original recipe," he said.
The cereal is currently available online and in a few select retail locations. Rinker said they are looking at scaling distribution up to get the cereal back in stores across Canada.
"We know we have a lot of folks right across the country that are looking for it," said Rinker. "Shopping online is great, but a lot of them would like to pick it up at a store near them. That's what we’re working towards, making the brand more accessible again."
Rinker added he has been overwhelmed by the response.
"It's been really phenomenal. When we made the purchase, we expected the brand to be well received, but what really surprised us was … the very strong emotional attachment that so many people have with the brand."
He said many people have been sending him emails asking where they can find Red River Cereal. "It’s usually two or three paragraphs of how much they love the cereal," said Rinker. "That part has been unexpected."
Rinker said it’s not just Canadians who are excited about the cereal's return, but Americans as well.
"It just underscores how much people miss the cereal, and how glad they are to have it back on the shelves again."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.