The WK Kellogg company announced this Thursday that it will eliminate artificial colors from all its cereals before the end of this year.
The measure will be implemented a year ahead of schedule. In August last year, the company had announced that it would remove synthetic dyes from its cereals by the end of 2027.
However, the company reported this Thursday that it has already identified juices made from fruits and vegetables that will maintain the characteristic colors of cereals such as Froot Loops and Apple Jacks. The company, based in Battle Creek, Michigan, added that it has also invested in equipment that will facilitate the transition to naturally derived dyes.
Kellogg also indicated that it will remove BHT, an artificial preservative, from the small amount of cereals that still contain it.
“More consumers are looking for foods made with simple, recognizable ingredients, and we’re proud to meet those expectations even ahead of schedule,” Doug VanDeVelde, Kellogg’s chief growth officer, said in a statement.
After a pressure campaign
For years, Kellogg has faced pressure to remove artificial ingredients from its cereals, something it has already done in other countries such as Canada. In 2024, dozens of people demonstrated in front of the company’s headquarters and delivered petitions with 400,000 signatures demanding the elimination of artificial colors and BHT.
That pressure increased under Donald Trump’s Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has urged food companies to phase out artificial colors derived from petroleum. In August of last year, Kellogg also signed an agreement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, pledging to “permanently remove toxic dyes” from its cereals by the end of 2027.
Large retailers are also driving these changes. Earlier this year, Target announced it would stop selling cereals with artificial colors before the end of May. Walmart, for its part, reported that it will eliminate artificial colors from its own brands starting in January 2027.
