Breakfast Cereals Continue to Fill Innovation Pipeline

Ready-to-eat breakfast cereal is becoming more adventurous. During the second half of 2022, several compelling new RTE arrivals hit grocery shelves—some based on co-branded efforts between cereal makers and consumer packaged goods companies outside the category.

Three innovations include Kellogg’s Cinnabon Bakery Inspired Cereal, IHOP Mini Pancake Cereal (done in collaboration with General Mills) and Stuffed Puffs Big Bites Cinnamon Toast Crunch Filled Marshmallows.

For a 4-week period ending Dec. 4, 2022, ready-to-eat cereal ($731.9 million market value) was up 15.4% for dollars but lost 0.3% in units, according to data from Chicago-based IRI Global. The top three branded suppliers include General Mills Inc. ($248.2 million value), Kellogg Co. ($194.2 million) and Post ($133.6 million).

Likely based on the high price of branded RTE cereals, private label was able to show its muscle, ranking fourth in sales ($49.8 million) and was at the top of the list of RTE cereal SKUs in the grocery channel, flashing a 4-week dollar growth rate of 33.5%. General Mills’ Honey Nut Cheerios ($42.3 million) represented the top branded SKU in the category.

Read ahead for a description of five recent RTE cereal releases ...

In partnership with General Mills, Stuffed Puffs unveiled Stuffed Puffs Big Bites Cinnamon Toast Crunch Filled Marshmallows. The launch marks the first time the two cereal brands have been melded together to deliver a cinnamon cereal-coated variety. Stuffed Puffs milk chocolate-filled fluffy vanilla marshmallows fluffy marshmallows are filled with real Cinnamon Toast Crunch creme and infused with cereal crumbles.

Kellogg’s Krave Double Chocolate Brownie Batter Cereal represents the latest twist on the cereal brand, combining creamy and crispy with chocolate filling and sweet cocoa notes and an brownie batter flavor. Kellogg’s Krave Double Chocolate Brownie Batter Cereal is available for an SRP of $4.29 for a 10.5-ounce box and $5.29 for a 16.2-ounce box.

Kellogg’s Froot Loops with Marshmallows Jumbo Snax adds a sweet and citrusy twist with a colorful and crunchy mix complemented by marshmallow pieces. Kellogg’s Froot Loops with Marshmallows Jumbo Snax have an SRP of $5.29 per 12-pouch pack.

In conjunction with General Mills and debuting in January, IHOP introduced IHOP Mini Pancake Cereal, a crunchy, blueberry pancake-flavored cereal infused with bite-sized pancake-shaped pieces, natural and artificial blueberry and syrup flavor. The IHOP Mini Pancake Cereal is made with vitamins, minerals and 13 grams of whole grains per serving.

Mini cereal iterations of General Mills’ cereal brands recently debuted, which include Trix, Reese’s and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Trix Minis are a smaller, crispy puff that’s a variation of the flagship brand; Reese’s Puffs Minis offer a new tiny design with the same Reese’s peanut butter and chocolatey flavor; and Cinnamon Toast Crunch Minis pack a classic cinnamon sugar flavor profile. Minis are available in full-sized boxes for an SRP of $3.99.