Froot Loops Wonka

Name: Froot Loops Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
Variation: Froot Loops
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: Can I just say, this cereal has a ridiculously unwieldy name*? I get that it's a media tie-in, but where's the creativity and advertising savvy? Also, it's kind of heartbreaking to have a cereal with "Chocolate Factory" in the name that has absolutely nothing to do with chocolate. On the other hand, adding a berry flavor to what is normally a citrus cereal is an intriguing idea. I can't help but note a similarity to Post's release of Berry Pebbles this year.

Upon opening the box, I see Froot Loops, but with little purple specks. I'm reminded of Kellogg's other cereal tie-ins for Disney which used the star-shaped cereal pieces. Did Kellogg's catch on that their "berry stars" weren't very good, and decide to use the proven formula of Froot Loops instead? Or did they just take Froot Loops, and dumb it down to the level of The Little Mermaid?

It's unusual, digging into a bowl of Froot Loops and getting a berry flavor instead of a citrus one. I don't think I like it as much as regular Froot Loops. In fact, it does indeed remind me very much of Kellogg's berry stars cereals like Hocus Pocus 2. The more bowls I eat, the more I feel like I've been duped. The milk does turn pink (not really purple) and "berry-licious!" as advertised. But it's not enough to repair my impression of this impostor masquerading as Froot Loops.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Pink and berry...y?

*This is a case of me being punished for buying the cereal as soon as I spotted it, as later versions have shortened the name to "Froot Loops Wonka", and ditched Gene Wilder (which doesn't make a whole lot of sense anyway, given that this is a tie-in for a movie with a new actor cast as the character) in favor of giving Toucan Sam an opportunity to dress up. Plus, there's a fun-looking treasure hunt on the back of the box. I think the marketing is an improvement, but I'm going to assume it's the same cereal; anyway, it's not worth taking the risk of buying another box.