Battle Creek-based WK Kellogg Co. says it will eliminate artificial colors from its entire cereal portfolio by the end of 2026, a year ahead of its original schedule.
The company said Thursday in a news release that production of cereals with new recipes, including Froot Loops and Apple Jacks, will begin later this year, with product shipping to retailers before year’s end.
The cereal maker will switch to colors derived from natural sources, including fruit and vegetable juices and other plant-based ingredients, the release said. WK Kellogg has invested in its manufacturing facilities to support the transition while maintaining the same taste and quality, officials said.
“More and more consumers are looking for foods made with simple, recognizable ingredients and we are proud to meet those expectations, even sooner than planned,” said Doug VanDeVelde, WK Kellogg’s chief growth officer, in the release. “We conducted extensive consumer testing to make sure these recipes deliver the great taste consumers want while maintaining the original rainbow of colors that fans of Froot Loops and other colorful cereals have come to love.”
WK Kellogg also said it’s ahead of schedule in removing the preservative BHT from the small amount of its packaging that still contains it, the release said. The company has already reformulated foods served in schools to be free of artificial colors and stopped launching new products with artificial colors starting in January.
“Bringing joy to consumers through our trusted foods and brands is what we do best at WK Kellogg, and I am thrilled that our team has accomplished this significant milestone a full year ahead of our original timeline,” said Jean-Baptiste Santoul, the company’s chief operating officer, in the release.
WK Kellogg was sold to Italy-based Ferrero Group for $3.1 billion in a deal finalized in September 2025. Its precursor was founded in Battle Creek in 1906.
In October 2023, Kellogg Co. split into two independent, publicly traded companies. The larger of the two businesses created in the transaction, Chicago-based Kellanova, was sold to Mars Inc. for more than $30 million in December 2025.
mjohnson@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: WK Kellogg Co to remove artificial colors from cereals
Reporting by Myesha Johnson, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Myesha Johnson, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
