Cereal Innovation Sweetened with Honey

Cereal cropped

All-day breakfast and all-day snacking trends are growing at a rapid pace throughout the food industry. Consumers want comfort through their stomachs, and there’s nothing better than grabbing a bowl, a spoon and a carton of milk with a favorite cereal during our fav moments of the day. Saturday morning cartoons, afternoon cravings and midnight snacks have been sweetened with countless bowls of cereals throughout our lives, but just like the dairy milk industry has evolved with alternatives, so has cereal.

Traditional cereals made with honey, like Honeycomb, Honey Nut Cheerios and Honey Bunches of Oats, are staples that have graced Americans’ breakfast tables for years. But the breakfast category is expanding, and cereal manufacturers are responding to a call for portable packaging, better-for-you ingredients — including sugar reduction — and all-day fixes to cure stressful moments. In MarketWatch’s Global breakfast cereal Market 2021 COVID-19 Analysis, it comes as no surprise that the breakfast cereal market is expected to grow. The category is predicted to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 4.5% through 2021, with drivers including:

  • Changing breakfast habits across emerging economies
  • Increasing preference of Western dietary patterns
  • A wide assortment of alternative breakfast items
  • Lower prices
  • Ongoing product innovation in flavors and organic ingredients


Last summer, popular cereal manufacturer Kellogg Co. raised its annual sales and profit forecast due to COVID-19. At the time, work-from-home-and-school policies forced families to eat more at home, and little did we know that almost a year later, cereal sales would still be gaining. In response, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, one of the company’s most popular grabs, added Toasted Oats & Honey to its portfolio.

“As a classic cereal staple, we're always looking to innovate and deliver new experiences to our dedicated Kellogg's Raisin Bran fans,” Erin Storm, senior marketing director at Kellogg All Family Cereal, says. “Just like the original cereal, Kellogg's Raisin Bran Toasted Oats and Honey is a heart-healthy option and makes for an irresistible flavor combination — combining our signature bran flakes and juicy raisins with whole-grain oats and a hint of honey."

The aforementioned Post Honeycomb also saw a revamp with the launch of Big Bites, ironically in smaller packaging. Post Honeycomb Big Bites Cereal Snacks are a juxtaposition of ideas, with a larger bite, but in a portable, resealable container. Both the regular and chocolate varieties are a new twist on the classic flavors made with honey, and with market research company Mintel showing that nearly 40% of consumers eat cereal as a snack, and 13% reporting eating cereal on the go, Honeycomb Big Bites are a “no mess” form, great for both adults and kids.

LARABAR’s popularity comes within its name, however, the bar company has expanded with LARABAR Cereal, three made-with-honey flavors made with just seven to nine ingredients. There are no artificial sweeteners or dairy products in the cereals: Apple Pie, Cashew Cookie and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.

So, grab that bowl, the dairy alternative of your choice, and enjoy these new made-with-honey cereal releases.