Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Kellogg's Rice Krispies and Coco Pops no longer gluten-free after recipe change due to El Niño Myriam Toua Wednesday 04 November 2026 08:51 GMT Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover Related video: This Super El Nino will be the strongest we’ve ever seen – and the world is not ready Kellogg's has altered the recipes for Rice Krispies and Coco Pops, replacing whole rice with flour alternatives due to El Niño changing weather conditions impacting ingredient quality.
Rice Krispies are now made using rice flour, while Coco Pops contain a mixture of corn flour and rice flour. The new recipes introduce wheat gluten as an ingredient, rendering both cereals unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or wheat allergies. Kellogg's has updated product packaging with prominent allergen warnings to inform consumers of the recipe change. The manufacturer confirmed the cereals remain non-HFSS and retain their previous nutritional levels of fibre, Vitamin D , and iron.
In full Rice Krispies no longer contain rice. Here’s why
The Independent reports Kellogg's recipe change for Rice Krispies and Coco Pops accurately and spells out the allergy risk. It names El Niño as the cause in its own voice, in the headline and the body. Kellogg's, as quoted by every other outlet, spoke only of "changing weather conditions", and the article never says the explanation is the firm's.
Names a cause no source gave
Minor
“thanks to El Niño”
Why this matters
The words "thanks to El Niño" give the headline a single, specific cause for the change, stated as fact with no attribution.
The impression it gives
A reader believes it is established that El Niño is why the cereals lost rice grains and are no longer gluten-free.
The context
The coverage shows Kellogg's blamed "changing weather conditions" for the quality and availability of rice. None of the reports name El Niño, and the article cites no source for it.
“due to El Niño changing weather conditions impacting ingredient quality”
Why this matters
The body repeats the El Niño cause in the outlet's own voice. It folds the firm's phrase "changing weather conditions" into its own sentence without saying Kellogg's gave that reason.
The impression it gives
A reader takes both the weather explanation and the El Niño link as checked fact, rather than as the company's account.
The context
Other outlets attribute the weather explanation to Kellogg's and quote its words. They do not mention El Niño. The article gives no source for the link.