March 7, 2021

Celebrate National Cereal Day with the Story Behind Dunkin’™ Coffee-Flavored Cereal

This story was originally posted on dunkindonuts.com.

Get your bowls and spoons ready, cereal lovers, because it’s National Cereal Day! In July of 2020, Dunkin’™ teamed up with Post Consumer Brands to introduce two new cereal flavors made with real Dunkin’ coffee. Now available on shelves across the country, the Dunkin’ Caramel Macchiato and Mocha Latte cereals were inspired by Dunkin’ fans’ favorite flavors. We sat down with R&D Product Development Scientist at Post Consumer Brands, Maddie Brandt, to learn more about how the Dunkin’-ized cereal came to life!

What was the inspiration behind the Dunkin’ cereal?

The idea for the cereal came from the rising popularity of coffee drinks, and the desire to offer an item that is different than what is currently on the market. Coffee and cereal are both popular choices for breakfast and afternoon pick-me-ups, so it was a natural mash-up.

How is Dunkin’ coffee infused into the cereal?

In working with the Dunkin’ team, we wanted to provide a product that was truly flavored with Dunkin’ coffee. To create the cereal, Dunkin’ coffee extract was infused into the cereal pieces to provide maximum coffee flavor in each bite.

How were the Caramel Macchiato and Mocha Latte flavors selected?

These two flavors are some of the most popular flavors in beverage form. The bold flavors translate well to cereal and provide a unique new way for coffee lovers to enjoy the taste of Dunkin’.

What’s your favorite part of the cereal – the crunchy pieces or the marshmallows?

It’s so hard to pick a favorite, though it is tempting to individually pick out the marshmallows! The crunchy texture of the cereal pieces perfectly complements the marshmallows, which emulate the swirls of coffee and cream that you would find in coffee beverages. I also love the delicious coffee-flavored milk that is left in the bowl once you finish the cereal!

How long was the cereal in development?

We spent approximately 10 months working with the Dunkin’ team to create the cereals.

What was your favorite part of creating the Dunkin’ cereal?

When we developed the Dunkin’ cereal, we were able to taste a lot of different coffee drinks to learn the different nuances between them, and really make sure we captured the deliciousness of Dunkin’s beverages that fans know and love.

If you haven’t tried the Dunkin’ cereals yet, what better way to celebrate National Cereal Day?