Snap, crackle and shock as Rice Krispies lose rice grains

Kellogg's has removed whole rice grains from Rice Krispies and Coco Pops. The firm blamed 'changing weather conditions' for affecting the quality and availability of the ingredient. Kellogg's sources its rice from Arkansas , California and Louisiana , all of which have suffered floods and strong storms in recent years. Rice Krispies, famous for their 'snap, crackle and pop' slogan, have 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. A Kellogg's spokesman 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.

Whole rice grains have been removed from Kellogg's Rice Krispies and Coco Pops cereal boxes The company said the popular cereal brands are now made using corn flour and rice flour '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.