Cereal lovers will be able to rejoice with the fun new changes to breakfast. After taking a kick to the gut when the Food and Drug Administration announced new standards for what could be considered healthy, cereal companies lost some clout as being able to claim their cereals were a healthy way to start the day.
The FDA wanted to make it clear on cereal considered a healthy part of a diet would not contain as much added sugars. For every three fourths ounces of whole grains the cereal should not have more than 2.5 grams of added sugars.
This change in health standards meant that Kellogg’s (K) cereal could no longer claim these cereals as part of a healthy breakfast: Special K, Frosted Mini Wheats and Raisin Bran. All these cereals would still be healthier than other cereals like Post Consumer Brands’ Golden Crisp, it has 18 grams of added sugars per serving.
Post’s Honey Bunches of Oats, Honey Roasted also can no longer claim to be a healthy start to the day. General Mills (GIS) cereals that are affected by the change are Honey Nut Cheerios and Corn Flakes. The cereals that are not going to be considered healthy anymore are quite surprising as most of them have been able to claim to be part of a good healthy breakfast for decades.
Unlikely Change to Cereal
When not competing to produce a healthy breakfast cereal, companies are always looking for new ways to gain some ground in the market.
"Sometimes the best new innovation is the smallest one," said Mindy Murray, General Mills’ senior marketing communications manager. "There’s such a love right now for full-size things that have been shrunk into mini versions, and we realized we could do the same with our cereals. We can’t wait for families to try the cutest new way to experience their favorites one BIG (little) bite at a time.”
Classic Cereal Makeover
The fan favorite cereals getting a tiny makeover are Trix and Reese’s Puffs. The makeover just changes the size of the cereal puffs. The cereal that is getting a bigger tiny makeover is Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Instead of being flat squares, they will also be tiny puffs like the Trix and Reese’s Puffs. The cereals will have the same flavor and texture, just in a tinier version of its original self.
The new tiny versions of these cereals will become available this fall at select retailers across the nation. While the cereal itself will be smaller, the cereal box sizes will remain. Cereal lovers will be able to fit more a little more puffs onto each spoonful and in their mouths. Pricing is expected to be $3.99 for the regular size cereal box and $5.25 for the family size cereal box.
Minneapolis-based General Mills claimed in the press release that there is more to come. This leaves cereal lovers wondering which other cereals will be getting a tiny makeover or what other flavors may be coming down the line.
