New Year, New Cereals

January has typically been a prime occasion for cereal manufacturers to launch new products, and this new year is no exception. Here are some of the notable cereals to watch for in the U.S. this month (although a few hit store shelves a few weeks early):

Kellogg's Cinnamon Frosted Flakes - Kellogg probably has realized that they can do so much more with one of the most popular cereals out there, Frosted Flakes. While this is not the first variety ever introduced, it might be the most interesting.

Post Cinnamon Pebbles - Cinnamon has become a popular flavor in recent years, and Post (affirming what Kellogg's sees as well) is relying on that with its latest Pebbles iteration.

Kellogg's Keebler Cereal - Most people are not aware that the famous cookie brand Keebler is actually owned by Kellogg. This is not the first time the company has tried a Keebler cereal, but they are wise in making another attempt, and playing off a strong brand to attract consumers. The 2017 version claims to contain "real mini chocolate chip cookies."

General Mills' Girl Scouts - Announced back in the fall, General Mills is also expanding on its cookie offerings with a unique partnership with the Girl Scouts, and two fun cereal flavors.

General Mills' Very Berry Cheerios - This one has not been officially announced yet, but some sites such as JunkBanter and Cerealously have already come across it in stores. Not the first berry flavored Cheerios, but a bright new extension to this leading brand. The O's feature specks of real berry powders (i.e. blueberry, strawberry, cranberry and raspberry).

Review: Holiday cereal showdown

 

With Christmas almost here it is a good time to review cereals related to the season. If you are looking for ways to get into the Holiday spirit perhaps having the right cereals around the house might help. And, this year there are four to choose from, all extensions of exiting brands: General Mills' Holiday Sprinkles Cookie Crisp and Sugar Cookie Toast Crunch, Post Sugar Cookie Pebbles, and Quaker Cap'n Crunch Christmas Crunch. The General Mills varieties are brand new this year, whereas the Pebbles cereal is a repeat from last year, and the Cap'n Crunch one is a long-standing favorite.

So, here's a quick review to evaluate the 2014 Holiday cereal offerings, and I will use the same four criteria that are used in my normal reviews: taste, texture, experience, and nutrition.

TASTE

It is obvious that the theme of this years' Holiday cereals is cookies, one of the favorite treats for this time of year. The exception is Cap'n Crunch Christmas Crunch, which is really Crunch Berries reformulated with green and red balls. As far as taste is concerned the Cap'n Crunch just doesn't do anything for me. It's nothing special, way too sweet, and far too dependent on artificial flavors and colors.

The three cookie cereals are much better. Sugar Cookie Pebbles and Sugar Cookie Toast Crunch do have the billed taste, with the Toast Crunch the better of the two. The Holiday Sprinkles Cooke Crisp are somewhat similar, coming much closer to  shortbread cookies.

Overall, the taste winner for me is Sugar Cookie Toast Crunch.

TEXTURE

There are few surprises here as the cereals bring with them the texture of the original brands upon which they are based. If you like a crunchy cereal that holds its own against milk Cap'n Crunch is the clear winner, but perhaps is to harsh right out of the box. Pebbles turn to mush quickly, especially after 5 to 10 minutes, whereas the Toast Crunch and Cookie Crunch find a more ideal middle ground.

In the end, Holiday Sprinkles Cookie Crisp is my favorite for texture, retaining its cookie form and a certain degree of crunch even after time in milk.

EXPERIENCE

These cereals are ultimately about experience. You buy them because they're fun and contribute to the feel of the season. On packaging alone, the Pebbles box by far provides the best breakfast table gazing, with Cap'n Crunch following close behind. But, it's about more than just the packaging. The cereals themselves contribute to the experience, and the Holiday Sprinkles Cookie Crisp is the most authentic because the cereal has the look, feel and taste of cookies. As good as the Toast Crunch and Pebbles are for mimicking sugar cookie taste, their form factor provides little resemblance to what they are representing.

For me the experience winner is a toss-up between the great looking Sugar Cookie Pebbles box and Holiday Sprinkles Cookie Crisp.

NUTRITION

Let's be honest. You don't buy these cereals for their nutritional qualities. All four are relatively high in sugar (Cap'n Crunch the highest at 46% of total weight, Toast Crunch the lowest at 29%), low in protein and fiber, and contain artificial ingredients. Of course, there are fortified vitamins and minerals in an attempt to make up some of the other shortcomings.

It's really hard to declare a nutrition winner here. Perhaps Sugar Cookie Toast Crunch is the lesser of the evils, but does it really matter?

OVERALL

So, is it possible to pick a champion in this year's Holiday cereal showdown? Not really. Ultimately, it will come down to personal appeal and taste, and any of these will liven up your Holiday breakfast times. If I had to make a recommendation it would be to at least try the two new General Mills cereals because they are brand new this year and offer something fresh and interesting. Hopefully, cereal manufacturers will keep innovating in future years, with other holiday flavors and tie-ins. Perhaps someone will even attempt a fruit cake version. OK, maybe scratch that latter idea!

Whichever you choose, may you and your family have a wonderful Holiday season!

Review: Post Poppin' Pebbles

Recently I pointed out the introduction of a new variety of Post Pebbles cereal that seems to be getting lots of attention and buzz. Pebbles limited time variants are becoming quite common, but this one is rather innovative because of "Poppin' Pieces" that fizz in your mouth. Again, I don't normally review every new cereal that shows up in the store, but this one deserves a closer taste.


Starting with taste, it is by and large conventional Pebbles: highly sweet and loaded with both natural and artificial flavors. If you like candy for breakfast Pebbles is the closest thing to it. This particular variety highlights "Burstin' Berry", which is evident but still within the range of what I expect from Pebbles. Certainly it is flavorful, but way over the top for what I like in a breakfast cereal.

 

Another gripe that I have with Pebbles is that like most rice-crisp cereals the small pieces quickly turn to mush, and for the most part Poppin' Pebbles lives up to the expectation. There is a twist, however. The green balls (i.e. the "Poppin' Pieces") which cause the fizzing sensation are designed to breakdown slowly, and even after 10 minutes in milk are still intact. A definite slight improvement for Pebbles.

Without question the main feature, and for me the only redeeming quality, of Poppin' Pebbles is that this is simply designed to be pure fun. Apart from the modest sounds of Rice Krispies, what other cereal physically interacts with you? This is gimmickry that is unlikely to have lasting interest, but for now it will move boxes off the shelf. The cereal quietly talks back, and everyone will try swishing the green balls around in their mouth waiting to feel the fizzing. Sadly, the fizzling is very modest; hardly exhilarating. Nevertheless, this makes for a fun morning over your cereal bowl!

Nutrition? Seriously? There are really no significant nutritional qualities to Pebbles of any variety, and every consumer should understand that. The main problem is sugar (33% of volume), although not the worst one out there. Sure there are fortified vitamins and minerals, but no fiber and only 1g of protein.

If it wasn't for the unique innovation here, this would just be another highly sweetened cereal representative of an earlier age in cereal development. But, Post has tried something new that will not only generate sales, but ultimately strengthen its Pebbles brand. Children of all ages will be delighted, at least until they tire and move on to something else.

(Review protocol HERE)

Poppin' Pebbles bring fun back to cereal

If consumers are getting bored with cereal, one of the ways around that is to come up with innovative new cereals that jump out of the bowl. Perhaps even literally.

Post is trying this strategy with new Poppin' Pebbles, the latest iteration in its popular children's targeted brand, Pebbles. But this is more than just a cereal loaded with sugar and artificial colors and flavors. This cereal claims that it "Fizzes in Your Mouth with Burstin' Berry Flavor". The secret is round green pieces that actually contain carbon dioxide. Mixed with liquid they are designed to create a fizzing sensation, perhaps somewhat like Pop Rocks candy. Certainly Rice Krispies have had "snap, crackle, and pop" for decades, but admittedly this version of Pebbles is much more fun to play with and eat.

Will Poppin' Pebbles truly fizz in bowls across the country, or will they fizzle out like so many other ideas?

Post joins the bandwagon

We've been noting the increasing trend for healthier cereals, especially among those targeted to children. General Mills and Kellogg have been making changes in this direction in recent years, but now Post has announced reduced sugar for its Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles cereals. But, notably absent, are Alpha Bits and Golden Crisp, the latter in particular a cereal with over 50% sugar. So, does this represent a true philosophical shift for Post, or is it merely a public relations move?

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NEW Bamm-Bamm Berry Pebbles

Innovation is essential for keeping a brand fresh and growing. According to The Retroist, Post has recently released Bamm-Bamm Berry Pebbles, a new variety of the Pebbles line. Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles have never been favorites of mine, but you can't fault Post for tapping into Flintstones nostalgia with this entire line.

Just plain fun.

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