Jan 4, 2020
General Mills is launching five new cereals in 2020, including three that will be launched in the first quarter of the new year in collaboration with Hershey.
The cereal manufacturer will release Hershey’s Kisses cereal in the shape of the iconic chocolate drops with Hershey’s chocolate; Jolly Rancher cereal with colorful bites in grape, cherry, green apple, watermelon and blue raspberry flavors; and Reese’s Puffs Big Puffs featuring oversized, peanut butter-flavored puffs.
Consumers looking for healthier alternatives, more protein and more convenient on-the-go solutions have looked beyond the cereal bowl in their search for nutrition. And cereal manufacturers, including General Mills, have seen sales slip for several years. Overall cereal sales decreased 17% from 2009 to 2016. According to Mintel statistics reported by the Wall Street Journal, cold cereal sales are expected to fall an additional 5% between 2018 and 2023.
After trying their hand at better-for-you and health-focused alternatives, cereal manufacturers have turned to transforming this breakfast food into a sugary sweet, permissible indulgence. And some of the results have been positive.
This change in strategy toward a focus on treats could bring more consumers to the category in the short term, but may not be enough to turn the tide of popular opinion. Indulgent cereals are marketed in large part to millennials looking to relive the carefree moments of their childhood. And manufacturers are hoping that those who are parents will share these moments with their children to create a new generation of sugary cereal lovers.