Cocoa Krispies

File:Cocoakrispies.jpg

A box of Cocoa Krispies

Cocoa Krispies (known as Choco Krispis, Choco Krispies, or Coco Pops outside of the United States) is a breakfast cereal produced by Kellogg's. It is a cocoa-flavored version of Rice Krispies. Containing a substance imitating milk chocolate, the cereal can quickly turn milk "chocolatey."

The cereal was introduced in the United States in 1958. In 2003, the cereal was renamed "Cocoa Rice Krispies" as Kellogg's endeavored to unite their Rice Krispies variations under a single marketing schema. In 2006, the name was returned to Cocoa Krispies.

Kelloggs has released variations of Cocoa Krispies such as "Cocoa Krispies Cereal Straws" and "Cocoa Krispies Choconilla."

Other markets

Cocoa Krispies with milk

The cereal is known as Choco Krispis in Portugal, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina, and Choco Krispies in Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It was introduced in the United Kingdom as Coco Pops in 1961, and is also known by that name in Denmark, Bulgaria, Ghana, Malta, New Zealand, Ireland, Finland, Italy, Greece, Sweden, Israel, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Australia and Republic of Korea. Later in the 1960s, the name was changed to "Coco Krispies," but subsequently reverted to Coco Pops. In 1998, the cereal was briefly renamed again in the UK, this time to Choco Krispies. However, in 1999, after falling sales and a telephone poll in which the British public voted, its name reverted to Coco Pops. The cereal is known as Cocoa Rice Krispies in Canada, with its mascots being Snap, Crackle and Pop.

Several spin-off cereals using the "Coco Pops" name, such as Coco Pops Crunchers, Coco Chex, Coco Rocks, Coco Pops Straws and Coco Pops Mega Munchers have also been released by Kellogg's in some countries. Kellogg's recently released a new cereal under the Coco Pops range called Coco Pops Moon & Stars, which is basically some of the Rice Krispies multigrain range in chocolate.

Mascots

Cocoa Krispies first appeared in the United States in 1958, represented by a monkey named Jose. He was quickly replaced by Coco the Elephant in 1959 when Mexican-Americans complained. In 1963, the Hanna-Barbera character Snagglepuss took over as the mascot. Ogg the Caveman took over in 1968. In 1971, Tusk the Elephant became the mascot of the cereal, and he remained until 1981. Snap, Crackle, and Pop (the mascots of Rice Krispies) also became the mascots for Cocoa Krispies starting in 1981. In 1990, the mascot became Coco the Monkey. In 2001, Snap, Crackle, and Pop returned, and they remain the product's mascots.

The cereal was introduced in the United Kingdom under the "Coco Pops" name in 1961, with Mr. Jinks as the mascot. Later in the 1960s, Sooty became the mascot for "Coco Pops." In 1986, Coco the Monkey was introduced, and he remains the mascot in those countries where the cereal is known as "Coco Pops." In recent years, the design of Coco has been refined to give him a younger look. Coco's friends are Shortie Giraffe, Randy Rhino, Alan Aardvark, Heftie Hippo, Fanny Flamingo, Osmelda Ostrich, and Kylie Kangaroo, while Crafty Croc and the gorillas are his arch-enemies.

More recent advertisements (2009) in the United Kingdom have opted away from using Coco and his friends opting for things such as dancing milkmen and astronauts. Coco is still present on the box of the cereal and at the end of the advertisement but is no longer the feature character. However, the 2009 cereal box has Coco's head as the main feature, with the title 'Coco Pops' and the cereal bowl smaller and on the right of the box. Briefly Coco was seen as a real life chimp.

In those countries where the cereal is known as "Choco Krispis," the mascot is Melvin the Elephant.

Nutritional value

The cereal was described "as the children's breakfast cereal that children most want to eat, but which parents would prefer that they didn't" by a parents' jury on the Food Commission in the United Kingdom. This ranking was achieved due to a level of added sugar approaching 40%, second only to Froot Loops followed up by Nutri-Grain and the promotion of chocolate as a breakfast food.

Controversy

Kellogg's was criticized by US health authorities and consumer experts in October 2009 when it unveiled copy on its boxes of Cocoa Krispies cereal that stated "now helps support your child's immunity". Kellogg's responded that it created the new copy not to capitalize on the H1N1 virus concerns, and added "Kellogg developed this product in response to consumers expressing a need for more positive nutrition." The FDA may yet rule on the Kellogg's claim and some observers deplored Kellogg's marketing tactic. Compared to all claims on cereal boxes, "This one belongs in the hall of fame," said Kelly Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. "By their logic, you can spray vitamins on a pile of leaves, and it will boost immunity."

Cocoa Krispies slogans

• "Just like a chocolate milkshake, only crunchy!" (UK, New Zealand, Australia)
• "Nothing tops Kellogg's Coco Pops, Kellogg's Coco Pops!" (UK)
• "We'd rather have a bowl of Coco Pops!" (UK)
• "Coco Pops and milk make a bowl full of fun" (UK)
• "Coco Pops Crunchers - Can you handle the crunch?" (UK)
• "New Coco Pops Creations make a bowlful of fun!" (UK)
• "Coco Pops make milk go choc!"
• "Coco Pops - what goes on in that bowl?" (UK)
• "Ever thought of Coco Pops after school?" (UK)

chocolatly goodness full of wholesome goodness and flavourings xD

External links

• Topher's Breakfast Cereal Character Guide
• The Kellogg's Store - Coco the Monkey