Kellogg’s removes rice from Rice Krispies due to ‘changing weather conditions’

Kellogg’s has removed rice from its Rice Krispies and Coco Pops cereals after “changing weather conditions” affected the quality and availability of the ingredient, the firm has said. Rice Krispies has been reformulated to use rice flour instead of rice, while Coco Pops now contain a blend of rice flour and corn flour in place of rice. Under the new recipes, the cereals now also contain wheat gluten, meaning they are no longer suitable for shoppers with a wheat allergy or coeliac disease.

The new Kellogg’s Coco Pops packaging. (Kellogg’s/PA) 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.” Kellogg’s said both cereals remained “non-HFSS” – or not high in fat, salt or sugar – contained no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners and maintained the same levels of fibre, Vitamin D and iron. Previously, Rice Krispies and Coco Pops were labelled “may contain gluten” because they were made in a factory where other cereals containing gluten were also handled.

Following the reformulation, wheat gluten is now an ingredient, meaning wheat must be declared as an allergen on pack and highlighted in bold in the ingredients list. Both cereals now carry prominent labelling on their packs alerting consumers to the change in allergen. The Grocer trade magazine said the reformulation comes as sales of Rice Krispies are in decline, with both value and volume down, its Top Products Survey 2026 would show next month.