Dive Brief:
- General Mills will begin selling a new blend of Cheerios in January dubbed Cheerios Ancient Grains.
- The new cereal will contain three of the "ancient" grains that are gaining popularity among consumers: quinoa and two wheat varieties, spelt and kamut. Oats, which are the primary ingredient in traditional Cheerios, will also be used in the new version.
- Cheerios Ancient Grains is expected to retail for $4.39 for a 12-ounce box. That's considerably pricier than the suggested retail price of $3.99 for 14 ounces of regular Cheerios.
Dive Insight:
The rising popularity of ancient grains is well-documented. Sales of products made with quinoa have risen fivefold in the past five years.
General Mills is one of the leaders among the world's giant food processors to move heavily into the foods of the past, but this raises concerns about the supply of ancient grains and the effects of mass consumption on crops raised in less-than-industrial quantities.