Cocoa Puffs
Encyclopedia
Cocoa Puffs is a brand
of chocolate
-flavored puffed grain
breakfast cereal
, manufactured by General Mills
. Introduced in 1958, the cereal consists of small orbs of corn, oats and rice that have been flavored with cocoa. Essentially, Cocoa Puffs are Kix
cereal with added chocolate flavoring. (Similarly, Trix
was, for most of its existence, Kix plus fruit flavoring and coloring.) Kix cereal is produced at the same factories as Cocoa Puffs, but differs in both density and circumference.
The mascot of Cocoa Puffs is Sonny the Cuckoo Bird
, whose catchphrase is "I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!". Sonny originally wore a striped pink and white shirt, but this has been removed since 1993.
On several occasions, Cocoa Puffs boxes have stated that they are made with real Hershey's
chocolate
. Cocoa Puffs are sold in Latin America, Mexico and Europe under the Nesquik brand thanks to a partnership between Nestlé
and General Mills; Nestlé and Hershey are major competitors in the chocolate business.
A cereal bar of Cocoa Puffs has also been made. A layer of dried, sweetened condensed milk
is added to the bottom of it, and marketed as a substitute for a bowl of milk and cereal.
The newest addition was introduced in the summer of 2008, Cocoa Puffs Combos, which consists of the recognizable chocolate puffs as well as vanilla puffs. Unlike the original Cocoa Puffs, the Combos cereal does not contain any real cocoa
. Instead, it contains artificial, imitation cocoa.
In December 2009, General Mills announced that it would cut the sugar
in 10 cereals including Cocoa Puffs to less than 10 grams of sugar per serving. This could represent a 25% decline in the sugar
content from the original level and 18% from the current level of 11 grams per serving.
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
of chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
-flavored puffed grain
Puffed grain
Puffed grain includes ancient puffed grains like popcorn as well as puffed rice. Modern puffed grains are often created using high temperature, pressure, and/or extrusion....
breakfast cereal
Breakfast cereal
A breakfast cereal is a food made from processed grains that is often, but not always, eaten with the first meal of the day. It is often eaten cold, usually mixed with milk , water, or yogurt, and sometimes fruit but sometimes eaten dry. Some cereals, such as oatmeal, may be served hot as porridge...
, manufactured by General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
. Introduced in 1958, the cereal consists of small orbs of corn, oats and rice that have been flavored with cocoa. Essentially, Cocoa Puffs are Kix
Kix (cereal)
Kix is a cereal introduced in 1937 by the General Mills cereal company of Golden Valley, Minnesota.Kix is an extruded expanded puffed grain product made with whole grain corn. The grain is processed and expanded...
cereal with added chocolate flavoring. (Similarly, Trix
Trix (cereal)
Trix is a brand of breakfast cereal made by General Mills for the North American and by Nestlé for the European, South American and Asian markets. The cereal consists of fruit-flavored, sweetened, ground-corn pieces. They started out as round cereal pieces, but in 1992, they were changed to puffed...
was, for most of its existence, Kix plus fruit flavoring and coloring.) Kix cereal is produced at the same factories as Cocoa Puffs, but differs in both density and circumference.
The mascot of Cocoa Puffs is Sonny the Cuckoo Bird
Sonny the Cuckoo Bird
Sonny the Cuckoo Bird is the cartoon mascot for Cocoa Puffs, a General Mills-produced cereal. He often appears in its television commercials.-History:...
, whose catchphrase is "I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!". Sonny originally wore a striped pink and white shirt, but this has been removed since 1993.
On several occasions, Cocoa Puffs boxes have stated that they are made with real Hershey's
The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
. Cocoa Puffs are sold in Latin America, Mexico and Europe under the Nesquik brand thanks to a partnership between Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
and General Mills; Nestlé and Hershey are major competitors in the chocolate business.
A cereal bar of Cocoa Puffs has also been made. A layer of dried, sweetened condensed milk
Condensed milk
Condensed milk, also known as sweetened condensed milk, is cow's milk from which water has been removed and to which sugar has been added, yielding a very thick, sweet product which when canned can last for years without refrigeration if unopened. The two terms, condensed milk and sweetened...
is added to the bottom of it, and marketed as a substitute for a bowl of milk and cereal.
The newest addition was introduced in the summer of 2008, Cocoa Puffs Combos, which consists of the recognizable chocolate puffs as well as vanilla puffs. Unlike the original Cocoa Puffs, the Combos cereal does not contain any real cocoa
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
. Instead, it contains artificial, imitation cocoa.
In December 2009, General Mills announced that it would cut the sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
in 10 cereals including Cocoa Puffs to less than 10 grams of sugar per serving. This could represent a 25% decline in the sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
content from the original level and 18% from the current level of 11 grams per serving.
