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Kellogg’s Froot Loops and Apple Jacks will soon be made without artificial colors as the company moves to eliminate the additives from its entire cereal portfolio by the end of the year.
WK Kellogg announced this week that it is accelerating its transition to naturally sourced colors by a full year, with production of the reformulated cereals expected to begin later this year and products reaching retailers before the end of 2026.
Kellogg said consumers can expect the same taste and familiar colors, which will instead come from natural sources including fruit and vegetable juices and other plant-based ingredients.
But one question may be top of mind for Froot Loops fans: Will the cereal’s iconic rainbow look the same?
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Kellogg’s Froot Loops will be made without artificial colors by the end of 2026 as WK Kellogg transitions its cereal portfolio to naturally sourced colors. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Kellogg says it will.
The company intends to maintain the familiar red, orange, yellow, green, purple and blue colors using naturally sourced alternatives.
“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,” WK Kellogg Chief Growth Officer Doug VanDeVelde said in a statement.
VanDeVelde said the company conducted extensive consumer testing to ensure the new recipes maintained the taste and colorful appearance consumers expect.
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WK Kellogg is accelerating plans to eliminate artificial colors from its entire cereal portfolio by the end of 2026. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“It wasn’t easy but we identified natural solutions for every color and we’re confident families will love the updated recipes and simplified ingredients without compromising on quality or taste,” he said.
WK Kellogg also said it is ahead of schedule in removing the preservative BHT from the small amount of cereal packaging that still contains it, although the company did not provide a specific timeline.
The transition away from artificial colors is already underway. The company said it has reformulated foods served in schools to eliminate artificial colors and stopped launching new products containing artificial colors beginning in January.
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WK Kellogg says Froot Loops will maintain their familiar rainbow of colors after the company removes artificial colors from the cereal. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The accelerated timeline comes after WK Kellogg announced last August that it planned to eliminate artificial colors from its cereals by the end of 2027.
The transition is also part of the company’s “Make Eating Well Easy” initiative and its new SPOONS on-pack nutrition guide.
