William Post (businessman)
William Post | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 27, 1927 Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | February 10, 2024 (aged 96) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Florence Schut
(m. 1948; died 2020) |
William Post (June 27, 1927 – February 10, 2024) was an American businessman and inventor. He is credited with inventing Pop-Tarts.[1][2]
Early life
Post was born on June 27, 1927, to Henry Post and Johanna Jongsta in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His parents were Dutch immigrants and his father worked as a truck driver, carrying out used ashes from coal furnaces. Post's family lived on the south side of Grand Rapids and he attended high school at Grand Rapids Christian High School.[1][3] At the age of 16, Post washed trucks part-time for Hekman Biscuit Company, a cookie company which would later become part of Keebler.[4][1] After graduating high school in 1945, he was drafted one year later into the US Army Air Corps and served in occupied Japan.[1] When Post returned to Michigan, he attended Calvin College[a] and returned to his job at Hekman Biscuit Company.[4] Post became the plant manager of the company at the age of 21, managing all aspects of the business.[4][2]
Pop-Tarts
In 1964, Kellogg’s approached Post asking if his plant could produce a toaster pastry to compete with rival Post which was creating one of their own. Post told them he could have something in two weeks. The pastries were initially called "fruit scones" but the name was changed to "Pop-Tarts", reflecting the pop art trend at the time. Post and his team rapidly developed the recipe, which he refined by bringing samples home for his children to test almost daily.[1]
A few years after the initial creation of the Pop-Tarts, Post thought icing would be an ideal addition to the product. Some people at the company believed that toasting would cause the icing to melt, but it did not.[1]
In 1967, Post moved to Illinois to work at Keebler’s corporate office, eventually becoming senior vice president. He retired at the age of 56. He worked as a consultant and brand ambassador for Kellogg’s for another 20 years.[1][3] After Kellogg's acquired Keebler in 2001, Post and his wife moved back to Grand Rapids two years later.[4]
Later life
In his retirement, Post would visit schools to tell his story to students, telling them how he, the son of immigrants, attained success through hard work. According to his son, he would always tell students “If you want to be noticed, always do more than is expected”. He would then give students samples from his unlimited supply of Pop-Tarts.[1]
He was married to his wife Florence for 72 years until her death in 2020. They had two children.[1][4]
Post died of heart failure on February 10, 2024, at the age of 96. He was survived by his son, his daughter, four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.[1][4]
Notes
- ^ Now called Calvin University.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Yoon, John (February 14, 2024). "William Post, Who Helped Create Pop-Tarts, Dies at 96". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ a b Itoh, Katherine (February 14, 2024). "William 'Bill' Post, inventor of Pop-Tarts, dies at 96". www.nbcnews.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ a b Helmore, Edward (February 14, 2024). "William 'Bill' Post, inventor of Pop-Tarts, dies aged 96". The Guardian.
- ^ a b c d e f Flam, Charna (February 14, 2024). "William 'Bill' Post, Credited with Inventing the Pop-Tart, Dead at 96". People. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.