New exhibition celebrates Kellogg’s Trafford Park legacy

A new exhibition showcasing nearly 90 years of Kellogg’s history in Trafford is currently on display celebrating the people, products and cultural moments behind one of the region’s most iconic food manufacturing sites.

The exhibition at Trafford Local Studies & Archives Centre, Sale brings together a wide-ranging collection of memorabilia from the Kellogg’s factory in Trafford Park, ahead of it closing its doors for the final time later this year. 

Curated by Trafford Council’s Local Studies & Archives team, the exhibition explores more than 100 items spanning nine decades - from the factory’s construction in 1938 to the present day.

The display features everything from model vans and vintage promotional materials to a plaque honouring King Charles’ last visit to the Kellogg’s factory in 2023, alongside more contemporary items including a large-scale Tony the Tiger cut-out. Highlights also include items recovered from a time capsule unearthed earlier this year, offering a snapshot of the site’s history through original cereal packaging and branded merchandise.

Alongside the artefacts, dozens of photographs document the history of the Trafford Park site, highlighting its connection to the local community and the hundreds of local people who have worked there over the years. 

The exhibition show has been developed in partnership with colleagues from the Kellogg’s factory, who have helped provide items to curate materials and support the Trafford Local Studies & Archives Centre in bringing together a collection that captures both the factory’s history and its role in the local community.

After nearly a century of cereal production in Stretford, Kellogg’s is transitioning manufacturing from the Trafford facility to its site in Wrexham. The closure is due to the layout of the plant, which is not suitable for modern manufacturing and includes a large amount of redundant space. 

Tim McKnight, Plant Director at the Kellogg’s Trafford Park factory, said:

 “Kellogg’s Trafford Park is one of the most iconic manufacturing sites in our city’s country’s history and this exhibition is a great way to celebrate its legacy with the community.

“It brings together a collection of memories that shows how the brand and the city local area has have evolved over the years.

“The Trafford Park factory means a great deal to us and the community, and we hope this exhibition helps celebrate that pride and the lasting contribution our colleagues have made to Greater Manchester.”

A spokesperson for Trafford Council said: 
 

"For nearly 90 years the plant has been a major local employer and a source of pride for generations of families, and this exhibition is a fitting tribute to the people behind the brand and the role they’ve played in shaping breakfast tables around the world. While we are saddened by the closure of the plant, it has been important for us to work with Kellogg’s to preserve and showcase these remarkable archives.” 

While we are saddened by the closure of the plant, it has been important for us to work with Kellogg’s to preserve and showcase these remarkable archives."

The exhibition is open to the public at Trafford Local Studies & Archives Centre, Sale, until August (final date TBC).