Dive Brief:
- Kellogg Cereal Straws are back after a 12-year hiatus, the company announced last week. The products will be available in Froot Loops and Cocoa Krispies flavors, but won't hit store shelves until October.
- Last week, Kellogg's Froot Loops brand dropped hints on Twitter the product was potentially making a comeback. The revival is the company's response to a petition started four years ago asking for the return of Cereal Straws, which was discontinued in 2009. It now has more than 81,000 signatures.
- As another year of the pandemic rolls on, consumers have stopped skipping breakfast as much as they work from home. With these changes, Kellogg has rolled out several cereal products over the last year and recorded impressive growth in the segment in 2020.
Dive Insight:
Kellogg’s latest addition to the breakfast aisle comes as its cereal sales rose almost 10% in North America for the 39 weeks ending Sept. 26 last year. This growth may have allowed for more experimentation. In May, it launched Jumbo Snax, which is specifically designed to be consumed as a quick snack. For those looking for sweeter options for either breakfast or just a nibble, Kellogg released an Oatmeal Creme Pies cereal, while a Cosmic Brownie cereal will be available this May. Both were inspired by the Little Debbie treats of the same name.
It’s not just sugary breakfast items hitting the market from Kellogg. In late 2020, the company released three cereals with a better-for-you angle. Frosted Mini-Wheats Cinnamon Roll, Special K Blueberry and Raisin Bran Toasted Oats and Honey were all developed with whole grains as the central ingredient. According to a report from the International Food Information Council, nearly 80% of consumers consider whole grains to be a healthy ingredient. It also pointed out that currently 54% of consumers say healthfulness matters more now in their food choices than it did 10 years ago.
Competitors like General Mills are also getting in on the cereal boom. The company reported a 10% increase in cereal sales during Q1 2020. For snacking, General Mills released Remix Snack Mixes, which combine different cereals in one box. In September, the company also released new versions of Trix, Cocoa Puffs, Golden Grahams and Cocoa Crisp, using the original recipes from the '80s.
These relaunches by General Mills and Kellogg not only feed into a cereal's second life as a snacking favorite but also consumers growing appetite for nostalgia. According to Mintel’s Trend Driver Global survey reported by IFT, 71% of consumers enjoy things that remind them of their childhood. In recent years, popular products like General Mills' Dunkaroos and Kellogg's Smorz cereal have returned to grocery shelves.