Pop-Tarts is placing a bet that Americans want a taste of soda for breakfast.
The breakfast treat is launching two new pastries that feature soda flavors inspired by A&W Root Beer and Crush Orange sodas, Kellogg (K) said on Monday. Here’s how the cereal maker describes the treats: A&W Root Beer is “bubbling with root-beer flavored filling,” while Crush Orange has “citrus-flavored filling” that will “tingle your taste buds.”
Sounds appealing?
The new Pop-Tarts, which uses soda flavors made by Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS), hit national retail shelves in May.
“We’re always trying to surprise our fans with flavors they’ll love,” said Angela Gusse, director of marketing for Pop-Tarts.
The move to sell soda-inspired Pop-Tarts is an interesting strategy from Kellogg. It comes at a time when many food makers are removing artificial ingredients or talking about how “clean” their foods are, a movement that has engulfed food manufacturers, restaurants and retailers. But the soda-flavored Pop Tarts are in the complete opposite direction, essentially a bet on decadence.
Kellogg could use a hit. The company’s North America sales slipped 4.3% last year, with results hurt by lower sales of snacks and morning foods. The broader cereal business has faced challenges as consumer behavior changes—more and more Americans are eating breakfast on the go. Soda Pop-Tarts could be a way to potentially add a jolt to Kellogg’s sales.
