Why Rice Krispies Are Changing Their Rice Ingredients

Kellogg’s says dry weather has reduced rice harvests and affected supply, leading to recipe changes for Rice Krispies and Coco Pops in the UK.

Food & CookingNovember 5, 20263 min readHow Sureno writes this

The short version

UK Rice Krispies have changed because dry weather in key rice-producing countries in Asia reduced harvests and affected the supply and price of rice, according to reports citing Kellogg’s. ¹²
The cereal now uses rice flour instead of whole rice grains; the UK’s Coco Pops recipe also uses rice flour, with corn flour included in its blend. ¹²
The revised recipes contain wheat gluten, so the packaging carries a warning for people who need to avoid it. ¹²
Kellogg’s says the change is limited to the UK; its North American business told the BBC that US and Canadian Rice Krispies recipes are not expected to change. ¹

Why are Rice Krispies changing their ingredients?

Kellogg’s says changing weather conditions have affected the quality and availability of rice and other grains used in its cereals. Dry weather in key rice-producing countries in Asia has reduced harvests, making rice harder to obtain and raising prices, according to the BBC. ¹

The company has changed the recipe to keep cereal quality consistent while supplies are affected. The available reporting does not name the countries involved, give figures for lost harvests or explain how long the supply problem is expected to last. ¹²

What is in the new UK Rice Krispies recipe?

Rice grains have been replaced with rice flour in UK Rice Krispies. For Coco Pops, the new recipe uses rice flour and corn flour instead of rice grains. ¹²

The change means both cereals now contain wheat gluten, and their packaging includes a warning. This is relevant to shoppers who avoid wheat gluten; check the current pack for its full ingredient and allergen information. ¹²

How has dry weather affected the rice supply?

Rice crops depend on growing conditions, and the reports link dry weather in Asian rice-producing countries to smaller harvests. When harvests fall, less rice is available to cereal makers, and prices can rise. ¹

The sources do not provide a detailed account of the weather in each country or quantify how much rice supply has fallen. They describe the weather-related disruption as the reason Kellogg’s gave for changing these UK recipes. ¹²

Are the taste and nutrition changing?

Kellogg’s says the new recipes were assessed for taste, appearance and texture, and that it has considered customer feedback. That is the company’s description of its assessment; the sources do not provide independent taste-test results. ¹²

The BBC reports that the cereals will continue to meet UK standards for levels of fat, salt and sugar. The Guardian reports that Kellogg’s says fibre, vitamin D and iron levels are maintained. ¹²

Does the change affect Rice Krispies outside the UK?

The reported recipe change is for the UK. Kellogg’s North American business told the BBC that Rice Krispies in the United States and Canada would continue to be made with rice, with no recipe changes expected there. ¹

The sources do not set out whether other countries will make changes. Recipes and packaging can differ by market, so the product label is the clearest guide to what is in a particular box.

What we don't know yet

How long the weather-related rice supply problems will continue.
Which specific countries and harvests are most affected, and by how much.
Whether the UK recipes will change again if rice availability improves.
How consumers rate the new taste and texture; the sources give no independent test results.

Get this every day, on every new tab

Sureno Browser brings the day's stories, explained simply, to your start page.

Get Sureno for Mac

Questions people ask

Do Rice Krispies still contain rice?

The UK recipe no longer uses rice grains, but it does use rice flour. Kellogg’s North American business told the BBC that US and Canadian Rice Krispies would continue to be made with rice. ¹²

Why is there wheat gluten in Rice Krispies now?

The revised UK recipe contains wheat gluten, and the packaging now warns shoppers about it. Check the product label if you need to avoid wheat gluten. ¹²

Have Coco Pops changed too?

Yes. The UK Coco Pops recipe now uses a blend of rice flour and corn flour instead of rice grains. Kellogg’s says the change is intended to help maintain consistent quality. ¹²

Are the new Rice Krispies less nutritious?

Kellogg’s says the cereals continue to meet UK standards for fat, salt and sugar levels. It also says fibre, vitamin D and iron levels are maintained. ¹²

Are Rice Krispies in the US changing?

The BBC reported that Kellogg’s North American business expected no recipe change for Rice Krispies in the United States or Canada. The reported ingredient change applies to the UK. ¹

Sources

No more rice grains in Kellogg's Rice Krispies due to changing weather — BBC News
Snap and crackle but no pop: Rice Krispies reformulated due to lack of rice — the Guardian, 2026-11-03

Free tools for this

They run in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and there is nothing to sign up for.

Unit converterConvert length, weight, temperature, volume and speed.Reorder PDF pagesPut the pages of a PDF into a new order.Compare textSee which lines were added or removed between two texts.