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Uproar over missing ‘pop’ as Rice Krispies changes its recipe
Kellogg’s has changed the UK recipes for Rice Krispies and Coco Pops, replacing whole rice grains with corn flour and rice flour after weather disrupted supplies of some grains. The change has prompted complaints about the cereals’ taste and texture, as well as their familiar “snap, crackle and pop”, making the recipe shift a notable challenge for a long-running brand.
The company says the sound remains but may be quieter and slower, and that the new cereals were assessed for taste, appearance and texture. Extreme weather in Spain in 2022 and 2023 reduced supplies of rice used in the products; the revised recipes are intended to maintain consistent quality. The cereals’ stated nutritional benefits remain the same, but the packaging will now warn that they contain wheat gluten. US and Canadian products are unaffected.
In short
- UK Rice Krispies and Coco Pops now use rice and corn flour.
- Kellogg’s says their signature sound may be quieter.
- New packaging will warn that the cereals contain wheat gluten.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Kellogg’s can argue that changing the recipe was a practical response to weather-related shortages of the rice used in these cereals, and that flour-based alternatives help keep products available with consistent quality. The company says it assessed taste, appearance and texture, and that the cereals’ stated nutritional benefits remain the same.
The case against
Consumers can reasonably argue that the cereals’ distinctive taste, texture and familiar sounds are part of what they are buying, so a recipe change can diminish the product even if its stated nutritional benefits are unchanged. The addition of a wheat-gluten warning may also matter to some customers, and complaints suggest the new version does not meet everyone’s expectations.
Explained simply
Rice Krispies and Coco Pops are breakfast cereals made by Kellogg’s, a food company that sells them in the UK and other countries. Rice Krispies are known for making a popping sound when milk is added, while Coco Pops are a chocolate-flavoured cereal.
The UK versions have traditionally been made with whole grains of rice. Weather in Spain disrupted supplies of rice used in the cereals, so Kellogg’s changed the recipes to use rice and corn flour instead.
The change matters because the cereals’ taste, texture and familiar sound are part of what customers expect from these long-running brands. The new recipes also contain wheat gluten, which is relevant to people who need to avoid it.