By Andrew Forgrave
Copyright dailypost
The iconic Kellogg’s cockerel has become the UK’s largest weathervane at a site in North Wales. The 21ft tall structure has been installed at Kellanova’s Wrexham factory after a stint on the English coast.
A sculpture of the much-loved breakfast mascot – Cornelius the Cockerel – was created in the wake of a £75m investment in the cereal plant on Wrexham Industrial Estate.
Kellanova – formerly called Kellogg’s in Europe – said it was a “symbol of the company’s long-term commitment to the region”. Perched on a plinth, the cockerel now towers over the factory’s reception entrance.
His trademark look was reconstructed from steel by 15 sculptors and engineers over two months. The 11ft-wide weathervane is fully functional. It follows a poll of 2,000 adults that found they spend nine minutes a day talking about the weather – totalling 146 days over an average lifetime.
Initially, Cornelius was placed at Ness Point in Lowestoft, Suffolk – it’s the UK’s most easterly point where the sun rises first. The site was chosen for a TV advertising campaign earlier this year.
At the time, Jenn Carkner, the brand’s vice president, said the cockerel celebrated the “uniqueness of mornings”. Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
She added: “What better way to welcome a brand-new day than with a totally unique and show-stopping weathervane, topped by our legendary mascot Cornelius in all his glory.”
Last October Kellanova announced a £75m investment at its Wrexham factory. This will see 130 jobs created as cereal production is more than doubled to around 1.5 million boxes a day – establishing it as the largest cereal manufacturing site in Europe.
Production of the company’s new All-Bran Fibre Plus brand is underway already. Meanwhile, Artificial intelligence (AI) will be harnessed for two new energy-efficient production lines – these will support the move to Wrexham of other iconic Kellogg’s cereals, including Corn Flakes and Crunchy Nut.
Mike Edge, Kellanova’s Wrexham plant director, said it was an “exciting new chapter” in the plant’s history.
He added: “The installation of our Cornelius weathervane is a fitting way to celebrate both the heritage of our iconic brands and the future growth of our business.
“This investment demonstrates our continued commitment to supporting local jobs, developing new products, and ensuring Wrexham remains at the heart of our UK operation.”
Cornelius is now 67 years-old, having adorned Corn Flakes boxes since 1958. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
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