Dive Brief:
- An ingredient makeover for Lucky Charms has food scientists at General Mills evaluating the right mix of vegetables, fruits and spices to create natural colors for the cereal’s marshmallows, according to Quartz. They are working on concentrations of different juices, combining them with marshmallow cream to create "healthier" charms.
- Removing artificial colors from Lucky Charms has proven to quite a challenge to General Mills, which in January announced the reformulations of Trix, Golden Grahams, and Reese’s Puffs, which now feature natural colors and flavors.
- The company aims to debut an all-natural Lucky Charms by the end of next year.
Dive Insight:
Food scientists at General Mills are toiling on the reformulation of this breakfast cereal at a time when recent data from Lux Research shows that in 2014, sales of breakfast cereal fell for the fourth year in a row. Sales of yogurt reached more than $7 billion and snack bars $5.5 billion, according to Food Business News.
The consumption of yogurt in the United States increased at an average of 6.1% each yaer from 2004 to 2015, Lux Research found. Sales are up thanks to the nutritional features of yogurt as a source of proteins and probiotics.
The move away from cereal to breakfast alternatives is partially the result of a generational shift, where today’s workforce is increasingly mobile. Additionally, Lux found that half of the consumers in the 2 to 11 age group are moving away from breakfast cereals.
General Mills is also expanding the flavor profile of its iconic, 75-year-old Cheerios brand by introducing a pumpkin spice variety for a limited time later this year. This product change, unlike other efforts, bypasses the health concerns that have driven other recent Cheerios innovations.