Kellogg’s has changed the recipes for Rice Krispies and Coco Pops after weather conditions affected the quality and availability of rice and other grains used in the cereals.
Rice Krispies will now be made with rice flour rather than whole rice, while Coco Pops will use a mixture of rice flour and corn flour. The reformulation means both products now contain wheat gluten, creating a significant change for consumers who previously bought them because they did not contain wheat as an ingredient.
The new recipes have been introduced as the company responds to what it described as changing conditions affecting agricultural supplies. Kellogg’s said the alteration was intended to preserve consistent quality, rather than being a temporary adjustment to a single batch or product line.
“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.”
What has changed in the packets
Although the familiar brands remain on sale, the ingredient lists and allergen information have been updated. The company said the revised cereals had been assessed for taste, appearance and texture, and that it was continuing to monitor consumer responses.
| Product | Previous main ingredient | New recipe | Key dietary change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Krispies | Rice | Rice flour | Contains wheat gluten |
| Coco Pops | Rice | Rice flour and corn flour | Contains wheat gluten |
The practical implications for shoppers are concentrated around allergy information. The cereals had previously carried wording saying they might contain gluten because other gluten-containing cereals were handled at the manufacturing site. Under the new formulations, however, wheat gluten is an actual ingredient. Wheat must therefore be identified as an allergen and highlighted in bold in the ingredients list.
People with a wheat allergy or coeliac disease should check the packaging carefully before buying or eating either cereal. Kellogg’s said the updated boxes carry prominent notices alerting customers to the recipe change. This means that consumers who may have relied on the previous formulation will need to review each packet, rather than assuming the product remains suitable because the brand name and appearance are unchanged.
Weather pressures reaching the food aisle
The announcement illustrates how weather can affect consumers well beyond immediate hazards such as flooding, high winds or extreme temperatures. Conditions that influence the quality, harvest or availability of crops can feed through into manufacturing decisions, ingredient substitutions and packaging changes.
Kellogg’s said the cereals remained non-HFSS, meaning they were not high in fat, salt or sugar. It also said they continued to contain the same levels of fibre, vitamin D and iron, and that no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners had been added to the products.
- Rice Krispies now use rice flour instead of rice.
- Coco Pops contain rice flour and corn flour in place of rice.
- Both updated recipes include wheat gluten.
- New packaging highlights the wheat allergen change.
- Kellogg’s said nutritional features including fibre, vitamin D and iron were maintained.
The change comes as the cereal market faces wider commercial pressure. Trade magazine The Grocer has reported that its forthcoming Top Products Survey 2026 will show declining Rice Krispies sales by both value and volume. The source did not link that reported sales performance directly to the weather-related reformulation, but the timing places the recipe change against a backdrop of weakening demand for the brand.
For households, the immediate priority is not to rely on the product name or an older box. Packaging remains the clearest guide to the ingredients currently being sold, particularly while old and updated products may be encountered during the transition. The company has said it is listening to feedback as the revised cereals reach consumers.
