Teamsters Local 667
Memphis Strong — carrying the legacy of 1968
Powering · Labor Education
BCTGM Local 252-G
Memphis Plant Member Portal
Our Story: Memphis Made Since 1958
Proudly producing more than 85% of all the Frosted Flakes in North America and the core cereal brands that have fed American families for generations.
1958
Plant Opened
85%+
Frosted Flakes Made Here
1M lbs
Daily Production
252-G
Union Strong
What We Make
The Memphis plant specializes in producing the core cereal brands that have been American breakfast staples for decades. Producing nearly a million pounds of cereal daily, Memphis is the lowest cost producer of cereal in the United States. Every box that comes off our lines is made by union hands, with pride and care for quality and safety.
Union Heritage
When the Memphis cereal plant opened in 1958, the workers who built it were members of the American Federation of Grain Millers (AFGM). The AFGM traced its roots to the late 1800s, when small grain milling unions first organized across the United States. In 1936, these unions joined together under the AFL as the National Council of Grain Processors. By 1948, the organization had grown into a full international union, the AFGM, representing grain and cereal workers across the U.S. and Canada.
For over four decades, the AFGM represented the Memphis plant workers through contract negotiations, safety fights, and the daily struggle for dignity on the job. Then on January 1, 1999, the AFGM merged with the Bakery, Confectionery & Tobacco Workers International Union (BC&T) to form today's Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM). That merger brought together unions with roots stretching back to 1886, creating one of the most powerful food industry unions in North America.
The Lineage of Local 252-G
Small grain milling unions organize across the U.S.
Bakery & Confectionery Workers' International Union of America founded
Tobacco Workers International Union (TWIU) founded
National Council of Grain Processors forms under the AFL
Renamed American Federation of Grain Processors
American Federation of Grain Millers (AFGM) receives international charter
Memphis cereal plant opens — workers represented by AFGM
Bakery, Confectionery & Tobacco Workers (BC&T) forms through merger
BC&T merges with AFGM → BCTGM is born. Local 252-G carries the legacy forward.
Our History
The Memphis Plant Opens
On December 8, 1958, the Kellogg Company opened its fifteenth manufacturing facility at 2168 Frisco Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. The site was strategically chosen for its proximity to the Frisco Railroad, ensuring efficient transport of raw corn, rice, and other grains. During its first week, employees hauled 100-pound bags of grain by hand into cookers, and the lines ran at just 40 boxes per minute. Daily output started at 225,000 pounds of cereal from 110 cooks.
Bulk Plant Upgrade
A major infrastructure upgrade replaced the manual hauling system with a modern bulk plant, dramatically reducing the physical toll on workers and cutting truck traffic on surrounding streets. Cogg Avenue was closed for safety as the plant footprint expanded. This modernization marked the beginning of Memphis becoming one of the most productive cereal plants in the company.
Union Roots Deepen
BCTGM Local 252-G continued to grow alongside the plant, representing manufacturing, production, maintenance, and sanitation workers. The local became known for strong shop steward representation and a commitment to member education, ensuring that as the plant modernized, workers' rights and safety standards kept pace.
$146 Million Expansion
The single largest investment in the plant's history: a $146 million expansion that incorporated advanced bag-in-a-box packaging systems capable of producing 120 boxes per minute, or 45,000 packages daily. The Memphis facility became one of the most technologically advanced cereal plants in the world. The workforce peaked above 800 employees.
The Lockout: 10 Months of Resilience
In October 2013, the company locked out 220 hourly members of Local 252-G after failed contract negotiations over the use of lower-paid casual workers. For ten months, union members walked the picket line, supported by the Memphis community, local churches, and labor organizations. The workforce, more than 60% Black, drew direct comparisons to the historic 1968 Memphis sanitation strike. In 2017, the National Labor Relations Board ruled the lockout illegal and ordered full back pay for all affected workers. This was a landmark victory that proved union solidarity still wins.
The Nationwide Strike
On October 5, 2021, Local 252-G joined nearly 1,400 BCTGM members at four plants across the country in a strike against the two-tier wage system, benefits cuts, and pension threats. For 77 days, Memphis workers held the line. On December 21, members ratified a new five-year contract that eliminated the path to permanent two-tier wages, preserved pensions, secured a plant closure moratorium through 2026, and won raises across the board. The strike proved that when workers stand together, corporations listen.
Still Memphis Made, Still Union Strong
Today, the Memphis plant produces nearly a million pounds of cereal daily, making it the lowest cost producer of cereal in the United States. The facility produces more than 85% of all the Frosted Flakes consumed in North America, along with Corn Flakes, Froot Loops, Rice Krispies, and Apple Jacks. Every box carries the pride of union craftsmanship. Despite decades of automation, corporate restructuring, and labor disputes, Local 252-G members have never wavered in their commitment to producing safe, quality food for families across the continent while fighting for dignity and fair treatment on the job.
Community Impact
For over six decades, the Memphis cereal plant has been more than a workplace. It has been a pillar of the community. Generations of Memphis families have built middle-class lives through the good-paying union jobs at this plant. Local 252-G members don't just make cereal; they coach little league teams, serve on church boards, volunteer at food banks, and invest in their neighborhoods.
Despite facing a 10-month illegal lockout in 2013 and a 77-day strike in 2021, the members of Local 252-G never turned their backs on Memphis. During both work stoppages, members organized food drives, supported community events, and maintained the dignity that comes from knowing your work matters. They proved that the spirit of the 1968 sanitation workers, who marched with signs reading "I AM A MAN," lives on in the labor movement today.
Local 252-G brought the strength of union power back to Memphis. In a city that witnessed one of the most important labor struggles in American history, these workers carry that legacy forward every single day, producing good, safe, quality food for their families, their neighbors, and millions of families across North America.
"From 100-pound bags hauled by hand in 1958 to nearly a million pounds a day on modern lines, the story of this plant is the story of working people building something that lasts. Every box of Frosted Flakes, every bag of Froot Loops, every bowl of Rice Krispies poured at a kitchen table across America was made right here in Memphis by union hands. That's not just manufacturing. That's legacy."
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