23
Feb
2021
Cereal makers are adding whole grains, fiber and protein to differentiate in a challenging category.
General Mills, Minneapolis, extended its Cheerios line with protein options, featuring 7 grams of protein (11 grams with milk), 13 vitamins and minerals, more than half the daily value of whole grain, and a good source of fiber. Cheerios Protein combines toasted “O”s with crunchy granola clusters in two flavors: oats and honey, and cinnamon almond.
Fiber One, a business unit of General Mills, introduced a granola cereal with a punch of protein. Fiber One Protein provides 10 grams of protein as well as 20% of the DRV of fiber per serving. The maple brown sugar variety includes crunchy pecans, and the cranberry almond cereal combines crunchy almonds and sweetened cranberry pieces.
Post Holdings, St. Louis, expanded its Great Grains cereal with protein options and introduced two new digestive blend cereals, featuring active cultures, last spring.
The Special K Nourish brand from Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich., includes quinoa, oats, barley and wheat, providing 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Last year, Kellogg expanded its Special K franchise with Protein Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunch, which contains 11 grams of protein with ½ cup skim milk, and Special K Gluten Free.
Post added to its Honey Bunches of Oats line of cereals with Honey Bunches of Oats Morning Energy, featuring whole grain, protein and fiber. The cereal combines crispy whole grain flakes and crunchy granola clusters and is available in two varieties: cinnamon crunch and chocolatey almond crunch.
General Mills offers Nature Valley Protein Granola in such flavors as peanut butter, peanut butter and dark chocolate, and cranberry almond. The products contain 10 grams of protein per serving with no artificial flavors or colors.
Kashi, a business unit of Kellogg, has recently added new organic varieties, including Sprouted Grains Multi-Grain organic cereal, made with wheat, brown rice, oats, barley, spelt and amaranth, and Cocoa Coconut with Kamut Wheat Granola, featuring cocoa, coconut and the ancient Kamut brand khorasan wheat.
Quaker Oats Co., a division of PepsiCo, Inc., in December launched several new hot cereal products, including oatmeal with protein and reduced-sugar oatmeal in single-serve cups. Quaker claimed it would be the first nationally available instant oatmeal to use stevia, a zero-calorie plant extract, as a sweetener.
Feb
2021