Cheerios debuts dulce de leche, peanut butter flavors
January 11, 2012
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General Mills Corporate Communications |
A General Mills cereal powerhouse enters 2012 with two new flavors for fans, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch gets a buddy as well.
According to global research firm Nielsen, the Cheerios franchise of General Mills is twice as large as the next biggest cereal franchise, and has outpaced growth in the ready-to-eat cereal category spanning the past five years.
The two new building blocks for the popular brand are Dulce de Leche Cheerios and Peanut Butter Multi Grain Cheerios.
Dulce de Leche Cheerios is expected to appeal to adults, particularly those in quest of healthy eating who want more taste variety in their choices.
Flavored with real caramel, containing no artificial flavors and 6 grams of sugar, Dulce de Leche Cheerios is of course low in fat (1.5 grams) and cholesterol free.
In Latin America, dulce de leche is a traditional thick caramel sauce. This flavor debut marks the first dulce de leche product in the ready-to-eat cereal category. The flavor has long been popular among Hispanics, but consumer testing shows that this flavor has a strong appeal among the general population as well.
MultiGrain Cheerios has enjoyed success with health-conscious consumers, and household penetration has risen more than eight points in the past five years.
The introduction of the Peanut Butter flavor is expected to appeal to many, but particularly those who are watching their weight.
Studies show that cereal eaters have healthier body weights, which seems to be no secret. And the weight management segment is a significant portion of the ready-to-eat cereal category, with about 8 percent of the category positioned for weight management.
Peanut Butter flavor – and this new entry is made with real peanut butter - is shown to be one of the top four weight management food flavors.
Frosted Toast Crunch whole wheat and rice cereal joins the popular Cinnamon Toast Crunch brand on store shelves this January. The frosted vanilla squares offer just 9 grams of sugar per serving with 11 grams of whole grain.
The new kid on the block has the cinnamon taste that is integral to Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but the vanilla flavor gives breakfast lovers something a little different.
Because these new products are Big G cereals, each contains more whole grain than any other single ingredient.
That’s significant, because 95 percent of Americans still aren't eating at least 48 grams of whole grain per day as recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.
