Kellogg's launches Britain's first spicy cereal: Hot Honey Crunchies

Kellogg's has unveiled Britain's first spicy breakfast cereal, adding a hot honey twist to its Crunchy Nut line. The new product, Hot Honey Crunchies, promises golden honey-coated curls with a gentle chilli warmth that blends sweet and spicy flavours. The move arrives as a broader consumer fascination with swicy dishes — spicy foods that are tempered by sweetness — continues to grow across snacks and meals. Kellogg's describes the cereal as a way to liven up a winter morning, offering a breakfast option that pairs familiar Crunchy Nut crunch with a bolder flavor profile.

Marketing Manager Freya Knight said the brand has 'always been about making breakfast more exciting' and that 'sweet meets spicy is a flavour combo that's on the rise, so why not go bold at breakfast too?' Knight added that as one of the UK's first swicy breakfast cereals, Hot Honey Crunchies deliver a gentle kick of heat balanced with the golden honey flavour fans already adore. The cereal is listed as corn, wheat and oat cereal with honey, flavoured with chilli and fortified with vitamins. The packaging features red flames rising from a bowl and a chopped chilli pepper, while the back of the box carries a thermometer motif and the tagline 'Sweet meets spicy.' It will cost £3.50 a box and will be available nationwide from January 1 at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons.

Consumer testers who sampled the new Crunchies reported a delayed but noticeable kick. One tester described an initial mild taste, followed by a strong wave of heat a few seconds later, then noted that adding cold milk helped modulate the sensation. Others who tried a spoonful on its own reported that the heat lingered longer on the tongue. The experience illustrated how the heat in Hot Honey Crunchies can be both surprising and manageable, depending on how the cereal is eaten.

From a scientific perspective, the heat comes from capsaicin, the compound that triggers the spicy sensation by binding to receptors in taste buds. Capsaicin exists in many chili peppers and is responsible for the burning feeling; in 'swicy' dishes, sweetness from honey or sugar tempers the burn, creating a balance that many consumers find appealing. Kellogg's packaging notes the cereal is honey-flavoured with chilli, a combination that aims to deliver a warmer breakfast option during the colder months. The box's thermometer motif underscores the intent.

Industry context for the launch points to a broader trend of spicy-sweet flavor pairings gaining traction in the UK, with brands experimenting to refresh routine meals. Kellogg's aims to broaden the Crunchy Nut lineup and attract consumers seeking new experiences at breakfast while tapping into the popularity of hot honey across other foods.