Kellogg Co. today revealed new identities for its business units in its forthcoming breakup: Its North American cereal business will be known as WK Kellogg Co., and its global snacks business will be called Kellanova. The names will go into effect in connection with the spinoff of the North American cereal business, which Kellogg intends to complete by the end of 2023.

Kellogg announced intentions to spin off the cereal business a year ago in a move not unlike Kraft Food’s 2011 spinoff of the snacking company that became known as Mondelēz International. Kellogg’s move is designed to allow it to focus on distinct strategic priorities with financial targets appropriate for their profiles. Although initial plans called for a three-way breakup, Kellogg has since tucked its plant-based food brands under the Kellanova umbrella.

“The name Kellanova signals the company’s ambition for the future, building on the strong brand equity and legacy built over the past 117 years as Kellogg Company,” Steve Cahillane, Kellogg Co.'s chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “The ‘Kell’ overtly recognizes our enduring connection to Kellogg Company, while ‘anova,’ which combines ‘a’ and the Latin word ‘nova,’ meaning ‘new,’ signals our ambition to continuously evolve as an innovative, next-generation, global snacking powerhouse.”

The Kellanova logo retains the iconic ‘K’ that Kellogg uses, while curved and extended ‘v’ “embodies our forward momentum as we embark on this next chapter,” Cahillane said.

Social media reaction to the new name drew some snark—and comparisons to Mondelēz, which had a frosty reception at first.

Cahillane will continue as the CEO and chairman of Kellanova, which will also retain the stock symbol ‘K’ under which Kellogg trades on the New York Stock Exchange.

Kellanova’s brands account for about 80% of Kellogg's sales. They include fast-growing snack brands such as Pringles and Cheez-It, along with Pop-Tarts, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats, MorningStar Farms, Incogmeato, Gardenburger, Nutri-Grain, RXBar and Eggo. Kellanova will also steward a suite of international cereal brands, including Frosties, Zucaritas, Special K, Krave, Miel Pops, Coco Pops, and Crunchy Nut, among others. 

The North American cereal business will be renamed WK Kellogg Co. Its brands include Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Mini-Wheats, Special K, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Kashi and Bear Naked, among others.

The name WK Kellogg Co. honors the legacy of founder W.K. Kellogg with a forward-looking style, said Gary Pilnick, CEO-designate of the company.

“We eliminated the use of periods in the name to signal the start of a new, unwritten chapter,” Pilnick said. “The logo itself stems from the iconic signature of Mr. Kellogg. We have taken his instantly recognizable script and then underlined and elevated the ‘Co,’ emphasizing our ambition as a 117-year-old start-up taking Mr. Kellogg's original company to new heights.”

Kellogg said nearly 1,000 employees submitted more than 4,000 names for consideration. Approximately 20% of employees suggested a variation of W.K. Kellogg for the cereal business name. “Employee name submissions that included ‘nova’ inspired the global snacking business name, ‘Kellanova,’” the company said. Kellogg used The Brunswick Group as a consultant on the name changes and logos.

Brands that currently use the Kellogg's moniker on packaging, such as Frosted Flakes, will keep it, executives said.

Kellogg's major ad agencies include Publicis Groupe's Leo Burnett, which handles most major brands. Pringles is at WPP's Grey. The company’s media agencies vary by region, with Publicis Groupe's Starcom handling the account in the U.S.