Why has Kellogg's removed rice grains from Rice Krispies and Coco Pops?

It’s a staple on breakfast tables across the country, but fans of Rice Krispies may be in for a snap, crackle and a shock as Kellogg’s has revised its recipe.

For almost 100 years, Rice Krispies have been made from puffed rice grains in the UK, but the cereal giant has now announced the product will be made from rice flour instead.

It’s not the only Kellogg’s product to undergo a makeover, however, as chocolatey cereal Coco Pops will also be made from rice flour and corn flour.

But what has led to the sudden recipe reformulation?

Change in weather conditions impacts rice stocks

It has been revealed that changing weather conditions have impacted the quality and availability of rice and grains used in Kellogg’s cereals.

The majority of the world’s rice stocks are grown in Asia, which has been hit by droughts and floods amid the El Niño weather phenomenon.

El Niño brings variations in extreme weather around the world due to warming ocean temperatures, impacting areas such as South America, Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia.

As a result, Kellogg’s has reformulated the recipe, but said the brand had approached the changes with “a lot of care and consideration”.

Kellogg's puffed rice cereals have been reformulated — Kellogg’s puffed rice cereals have been reformulated Adobe Stock

A spokeswoman for Kellogg’s said: “We have updated the Rice Krispies and Coco Pops recipes, which are now made using corn flour and rice flour.

“This recent change helps us maintain consistent quality at a time when changing weather conditions are affecting the quality and availability of some of the rice and grains used in our cereals.

“We appreciate that even small changes to a much-loved product can feel noticeable, and that’s why we have approached this with a lot of care and consideration.

“The updated recipes have been carefully assessed for taste, appearance and texture, and we are continuing to listen closely to consumer feedback.”

Can I still eat the cereals if I have an allergy?

Following the reformulation, Kellogg’s confirmed that both cereals now contain wheat gluten, meaning they are no longer suitable for those with a wheat allergy or coeliac disease.

As a result, wheat must be declared as an allergen on packs and highlighted in bold in the ingredients list.

Rice Krispies and Coco Pops were both previously labelled as “may contain gluten”. This was due to the cereals being produced in a factory where other items containing gluten were handled.

Both cereals now carry prominent labelling alerting consumers to the change in allergens.

Coco Pops will now be made from rice flour and corn flour Adobe Stock

Kellogg’s said both cereals will remain “non-HFSS”, which means they are not high in fat, salt or sugar, and contain no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners.

The cereals will also maintain the same levels of fibre, Vitamin D and iron.