Breakfast cereal in some markets, and steady and continued growth throughout its history. The number of different types of breakfast cereals in the U.S. has grown from 160 (1970) to 340 (1998) to 4,945 (2012). In this highly competitive market, breakfast cereal companies have developed cereals in an ever-increasing number of flavors. Although many plain wheat and oat based cereals exist, other flavors are sweet. Some of the most popular brands include freeze-dried fruit and others are flavored like dessert or candy. Cereal, oatmeal and porridge quickly became an important breakfast component in North America. Barley was a common grain used, though
Honeycomb (cereal) Honeycomb (cereal) Honeycomb is a breakfast cereal originated in 1965, by Post Foods. It consists of honey-flavored corn cereal bits in a honeycomb shape. At the end of 2006, Post changed the formula for this popular cereal to improve its health content. This change, although tested by Post beforehand to positive reviews, received mainly negative reviews from consumers. Following this public response, in March 2007, Kraft Foods (then-owner of Post Cereals) introduced a new "Improved Taste" version of the cereal that, the company claimed, would improve "the cereal's taste, texture and appearance while incorporating key nutritional benefits to the product."