Kellogg hopes new Rice Krispies Treats snap, crackle and pop
An online search for “marshmallow treats recipe” will yield pages of blogs and websites where consumers created their own version of the popular Rice Krispies Treats.
Some homemade recipes include gluten-free versions as well as ones that swap out white rice for brown. But in its latest rollout, which the company said was inspired by social media, Kellogg is adding new products that continue its formula of puffed rice, marshmallows and sugary coatings.
Birthday Cake will feature rainbow sprinkles and a cream drizzle. Cookies ‘n’ Cream will have chocolate cookie crumbles and a cream coating. Kellogg suggests these treats will be perfect for birthday goodie bags and as after-school snacks.
“Every day presents a reason to celebrate, whether it’s a big occasion like a birthday or a little victory like completing a math test,” Emily Minardi, associate marketing director of Rice Krispies Treats, said in a statement.
In rolling out these products, Kellogg is responding to America’s strong desire for sweet foods as a reward for an accomplishment or as an indulgence to take the edge off a stressful day. The portable, individually-wrapped snack further taps into the consumers’ desire to snack while they are on the go, while finding another way to get the increasingly unloved cereal into the hands of the public.
Kellogg also is hoping that by offering flavors that are trending on social media it is giving consumers what they want. It’s a smart move for Kellogg, or any company for that matter, to introduce products based on input from diehard followers. Odds are if a large number of vocal people online want it, a majority of shoppers will, too. Plus, it saves companies time and money trying to figure out what new product to introduce.
