Farina Cereal, Hot Since 1898

Farina By BrandlandUSARemember the Pillsbury breakfast cereal Farina, which dates from 1898?

It is available at many local groceries. It is now made by U.S. Mills; their website states that the company has owned the Farina brand since 2001. It says it acquired it from Holden Foods.

Cream of Wheat was invented in 1893, so we guess Farina came a few years after it. No matter; Farina has the funkier, more interesting feel, almost health food except for the WASPy kid on the box. And the word Farina has about as much evocative and nostalgic feeling as Maypo, though Farina is often used generically to describe any kind of cereal of its kind.

It’s a branded product rather like Cream of Wheat, and it is tasty with butter, sugar and milk. One other great thing about it; it is quite easy to cook in a microwave, and doing it that way avoids all the mess in the pot.

Author

  • Garland Pollard

    J. Garland Pollard IV is editor/publisher of BrandlandUSA. Since 2006, the website BrandlandUSA.com has chronicled the history and business of America’s great brands.

50 Comments

  1. Bring back the Willie and Willamina commercial.

    1. Farina is MaltOMeal, same thing, same ingredients, same company. Just a different box. I was going out of my mind bringing back my childhood fun foods, trying to find the kid on the box. I put the butter shavings and sugar in the empty bowl, and on top! Enjoy.

  2. It was Farina made by Farina Mills and now it is Farina made by Malt O Meal and the box looks like am imitation of the original. What is really going on with this company? We really need to get to the bottom of this matter!

    1. farina & cream of wheat r not the same, the texture is totally different. farina is creamy, where as cream of wheat is gritty. I prefer farina.

      1. Author

        Thank you. Appreciate the help with identifying the texture, etc.

  3. Grew up eating farina in the sixties. It was given by the food commodity in the neighborhood. Never seen it in the stores until some 50 plus years later. Hopefully it tastes just as good now as then

  4. Farina and Cream of Wheat are the same thing. Cream of Wheat is just a brand name.

  5. Looking to buy Farina in Cleveland, Ohio and I can’t find it anywhere… can you point me in the right direction?

    1. Marc’s has Ferina and that new Meijers has the MaltOMeal same company same exact stuff in the box. as others keep saying they think it’s different then the Ferina from the 50’s. I ate it in the 70’s and 80’s, I think its the same. Eating it now. lol.

  6. Farina has been a staple in my house since I was a child. I am married with children of my own now living in Charlotte, NC (relocated from LI New York). Farina sells at Publix, but, they are very small boxes. I have 4 children with enormous appetites, the small boxes don’t accommodate our life style. Please can you help or send information where I can purchase in larger boxes.

  7. I can’t find this anywhere any more either.. what is going on?? Where can I buy Farina?? I’ve had this all my life.. what happened it to? Bring it back!

  8. I live in NY state, Mohawk valley and spend the winters in Fl but I can’t find farina in the stores either but last week I went to a health food store where everything is bulk. I bought a small amount to try it and it is super good just like the old time farina. I think they all carry it so try one near you. The folks that are complaining about the comments, then why do you read them??????

  9. I grow up on Farina need to know if Pulbix Market have it in Phenix City, Alabama
    I loved as a Little girl and I still do just need to find where I can get it.Thanks much!

  10. Hi. I love your hot Farina cereal and was wondering if you could send me some coupons by mail. Thanks. I do not have a printer set up.
    Stacy Difrancesco
    5621 Avenue T
    Brooklyn, N.Y. 11234

  11. I looked like the kid on the box in second grade the old lady looks like she might eat me if she can’t find her farina

  12. Could you make the lettering on the directions larger? I needed a microscope to read it.

  13. I swear, the ones who are throwing a fit, acting like idiots and even claiming that it’s un-American that a product is discontinued, seriously need to get a grip!

  14. I got some Farina for the low.

    Dollar grams. Get at me.

  15. I can’t understand why I can’t buy Ferina in stores.Im in SC Why should I go on line & pay shipping charges ,for something you took away??

  16. I can understand why I can’t find Ferina. You see all the other people who want it .Why can’t you sell it in local stores? Why whould I have to go online..and pay shipping for it??

  17. Hello, is Farina Mills Brand a Non-GMO product?

  18. I love Farina so much I married a Farina

  19. IF THERE IS ANY ONE WHO LIVES IN THE NEW YORK AREA, CAN FIND FARINA AT WEGMANS FOOD MARKETS. TOPS DOES NOT CARRY THIS BRAND.

  20. for the person in Suffolk county NY, you can find it in Brentwood or Bayshore n Amityville at the spanish super mark Like C town good luck

  21. Grew up eating Farina in Jersey as well as my children. Cannot find it where now living in rural Northwest Georgia Mountains. Happy to find it available to order on the Farina website! Also available on Amazon , but much more expensive .

  22. Ok people, have you ever hear of the internet? Well……you can order it on line. So please, stop the anger. Go to Gen Mills and order it.

    LOL how silly a bunch of middle age people fighting about were to find Farina?

  23. Finally got Farina in Oklahoma (at Wal-Mart), used to bring it down to OK from the Chicago area because family could not get it here. Cooked it today & am not happy. It was changed from the all white Farim\na I grew up eating to something with a mix of brown & white granules. Emailed Malt-o-Meal to get explaination. (Farina not shown on Malt-o-Meal site)

  24. We finally got Tastycakes. Now, why can’t we find Farina in the State of North Carolina?

  25. This particular cereal can be found easily in the new york city area

  26. This is for Fran Carazo who lives in Allentown, Pa. I founf farina at Price Rite in Beth at 8th avenue in the Goya asile! nWhats bwrong putting it in the normal ceral asile. Shame on that company!!!!!!!!!!! For anybody else looking go in the spanish asile, probably find it there.

  27. I can only find th ereal Farina in SOME stores back home in Wisconsin. We need it out West!!! Cannot find it n Las Vegas or any surrounding areas!! Come on lets get back to the good stuff!!!

    1. I live in Baltimore Maryland, and I want to know where I can buy Fatima. I have looked everywhere. I normally Shoppe at Shoppers.pLease can you help. Thank you

  28. I feel HORRIBLE for all of you poor folks who don’t have access to Farina…seriously. That’s the lamest thing I have EVER heard…you can find it in every Wegmans store in upstate New York…not sure if you can somehow order and have it shipped? I would personally volunteer to ship y’all a box…that’s insane!!! I am sitting here enjoying my creamy, dreamy Farina thinking of you…this next spoonful is for you my fellow Farina-lovers!

  29. I LOVE FARINA

    I cannot find it anywhere in New Mexico. Before retiring here I could rarely find it in New Jersey. Is FARINA a thing of the past ? Very sad the maker of Farina cannot respond to any of these messages. Shame on you !

  30. I am SOOOOOOO frustrated….I cannot find Farina in any store. Such a family favorite for YEARS and now someone has decided it is not necessary to be in the anchor super markets.
    Please bring back Farina TODAY!

  31. Yes, Iwill pay a dollar more for the morning favorite as
    long as the cows don’t go on strike! Please come
    home!!!!!!!!!!!!!RSVP—-ASAP where it can be purchased.

  32. The stores in Suffolk County, New York have been telling me
    that you do not make Farina any longer, too bad………eat
    something else!!!!!!!!I am appalled at their manners and attitude.
    My grand children are asking for their breakfast soup!!!!!!! Can
    you help me?

  33. The Farina Mills Farina is still being produced! This product was acquired by the Malt-O-Meal Company in December 2009. Please check out our website at, http://www.farinahotcereal.com, to contact the company or to order the product through an on-line retailer.

  34. Please bring back Farina Cereal. No one carries it in my area anymore. It’s a favorite of mine. It seems the stores that carry it are not in my area. Would I be able to purchase it from the manufacturer direct?

  35. WHAT the heck is going on, when you can’t find a box of FARINA in your local grocery store. Am I still in the US or is this some sick joke, that’s NOT funny. I WANT MY FARINA AND I WANT IT N O W !!!!! Where can I find it??????? This is ridiculous and completely UNAMERICAN!!! I have been eating this cereal for over 55 years and I want it BACK!! Which high powered executive decided to take it off our local store shelves??? Put it back and stop the MADNESS !!

  36. what happened to this company then plz can any body tell me this ?

  37. I can’t find Farina in my area – where in Northeast Pennsylvania (Allentown) can I purchase this?

  38. Could you please tell me why I can no longer find “Farina” in my area. Would it be possible for me to purchas some from you?
    Thank you.

      1. I love Farina but. I live here in Texas they don’t have here and no has heard of it. Can some one please tell me where I can find it.

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