Little Crow Foods

Little Crow Foods was a food company based in Warsaw, Indiana, United States. Its documented history began in 1903, when W. F. Maish, Sr. established the business as a flour mill. The company later became associated with packaged dry food products, particularly pancake mixes, hot cereal, corn-bread and muffin mixes, and seasoning products. A major fire in 1919 marked an important turning point. Following the fire, Little Crow began selling pancake mix in five-pound sacks, moving beyond its original flour-milling activity toward prepared and packaged food. This transition provided the foundation for a broader product portfolio built around shelf-stable mixes and convenience-oriented cooking products. Little Crow introduced CoCo Wheats, a hot cereal, in 1930. In 1939 it added Miracle Maize, a corn-bread and muffin mix. The company expanded into seasoning products with Fryin' Magic in 1953 and later introduced Bakin' Miracle in 1989. In 1985, it launched Fastshake, a pancake mix packaged in a bottle, reflecting an effort to make preparation more convenient for consumers. These products represented the company's principal presence in the packaged-food market. Little Crow remained identified with a collection of established grocery products rather than with a large, diversified consumer-goods group. Its product history shows a progression from milling and flour distribution into branded, prepared mixes and cereal. The business's identity was therefore closely tied to practical household foods that could be prepared with limited additional ingredients or equipment. In 2012, Little Crow announced that it was exiting the food business. The company sold various products and assets to a combination of MOM Brands and the Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation. The transaction divided Little Crow's product and asset base among acquiring food companies rather than preserving Little Crow as an independent operating business. As a result, Little Crow Foods is now a defunct company and its historical brands and products are associated with successor owners where applicable.

Little Crow Foods originated in Warsaw, Indiana, in 1903. W. F. Maish, Sr. founded the company as a flour mill, placing it initially within the milling and basic flour-processing side of the food industry. The company's later development was shaped by a major fire in 1919. After the fire, Little Crow began selling pancake mix in five-pound sacks, an early move from milling commodities toward prepared, branded food products. The company gradually built a portfolio of shelf-stable grocery items. CoCo Wheats, a hot cereal, was introduced in 1930. In 1939, Little Crow added Miracle Maize, a corn-bread and muffin mix. These products extended the business from pancake preparation into breakfast cereal and baking mixes. The company's later launches continued to emphasize convenience in home cooking. Fryin' Magic, a seasoning product, appeared in 1953, while Fastshake, a pancake mix in a bottle, was introduced in 1985. Bakin' Miracle, another seasoning product, followed in 1989. This product history indicates that Little Crow's business was centered on dry, packaged foods with long-established household uses. Rather than operating primarily as a restaurant, retailer, or commodity flour supplier, it developed branded mixes and cereals intended for preparation by consumers at home. The company's product names and formats also show repeated attempts to distinguish familiar cooking activities through convenience-focused packaging and specialized mixes. Little Crow's independent operation ended in the early 2010s. In 2012, the company announced that it was exiting the food business. Its products and other assets were sold to two food companies, MOM Brands and the Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation. The available reference material does not specify which individual products or assets went to each buyer, nor does it identify a continuing corporate operation under the Little Crow Foods name. The sale and closure marked the end of Little Crow as an independent food company, while its historical products became part of the portfolios or brand histories of successor companies.

• 2012

  Food business exited and assets sold

  [3]Little Crow Foods selling assets, closing businessbakingbusiness.com

  Little Crow announced its exit from the food business and sold products and assets to MOM Brands and the Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation.

• 1989

  Bakin' Miracle introduced

  [1]Little Crow Foodsen.wikipedia.org

  Little Crow introduced Bakin' Miracle, another seasoning product.

• 1985

  Fastshake introduced

  [1]Little Crow Foodsen.wikipedia.org

  The company launched Fastshake, a pancake mix sold in a bottle.

• 1953

  Fryin' Magic introduced

  [1]Little Crow Foodsen.wikipedia.org

  Little Crow expanded its range with Fryin' Magic, a seasoning product.

• 1939

  Miracle Maize introduced

  [1]Little Crow Foodsen.wikipedia.org

  The company introduced Miracle Maize, a corn-bread and muffin mix.

• 1930

  CoCo Wheats introduced

  [1]Little Crow Foodsen.wikipedia.org

  Little Crow introduced CoCo Wheats, a hot cereal product.

• 1919

  Major fire changes the company's direction

  [1]Little Crow Foodsen.wikipedia.org

  After a major fire, Little Crow began selling pancake mix in five-pound sacks, helping shift the business toward packaged prepared foods.

• 1903

  Company founded as a flour mill

  [1]Little Crow Foodsen.wikipedia.org

  W. F. Maish, Sr. founded Little Crow Foods in Warsaw, Indiana, as a flour mill.

A regional American packaged-food company focused on convenient dry mixes, hot cereal, and household cooking and baking products.

• Hot cereal · 1930

  CoCo Wheats

  CoCo Wheats was Little Crow's hot cereal product, introduced in 1930. It formed part of the company's long-running portfolio of shelf-stable grocery foods and extended its business beyond flour and pancake preparation into the breakfast-cereal category.

• Corn-bread and muffin mix · 1939

  Miracle Maize

  Miracle Maize was a corn-bread and muffin mix introduced in 1939. The product represented Little Crow's expansion into prepared baking mixes designed for household cooking.

• Seasoning · 1953

  Fryin' Magic

  Fryin' Magic was a Little Crow seasoning product introduced in 1953. It broadened the company's packaged-food range from breakfast and baking mixes into seasoning products for home cooking.

• Pancake mix · 1985

  Fastshake

  Fastshake was a pancake mix introduced in 1985 and packaged in a bottle. Its container format emphasized preparation convenience and gave Little Crow a later-generation variation on its established pancake-mix business.

• Seasoning · 1989

  Bakin' Miracle

  Bakin' Miracle was a seasoning product introduced in 1989. It was one of the later additions to Little Crow's mix and seasoning portfolio.

• 2012

  Exit from the food businessStrategy

  Background

  Little Crow Foods decided to discontinue its independent food-business operations.

  Action taken

  The company announced its exit and sold various products and assets to MOM Brands and the Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation.

  Aftermath

  The transaction ended Little Crow Foods' operation as an independent food company. The available sources do not specify the allocation of every product or asset between the two acquiring companies.

  Source

• 2012

  Little Crow Foods announces exit from the food business and asset sales[3]Little Crow Foods selling assets, closing businessbakingbusiness.com

  M&A · Other

  Little Crow Foods announced that it would leave the food business and sell its various products and assets to MOM Brands and the Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation.

1. 1Little Crow Foodsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Little Crow Foods historylittlecrowfoods.com
3. 3Little Crow Foods selling assets, closing businessbakingbusiness.com