How Many Boxes of Cereal Are Sold a Year in the US

Many Americans utilize cereal sssfood as their breakfast in their daily life. However, would you like to know how many boxes are sold annually in the US? Be patient; this article will give detailed information on this question. So keep reading below.  

Cereal: A Versatile Food Item

It is usually recognized as a breakfast food item, but in the last few years, it has become a versatile food item that people can enjoy in different ways. Cereal has become compulsory in every home, whether you eat it with milk, yogurt, or as a snack.

Enjoying cereal with milk in a classic bowl is conventional usage, but there are endless possibilities with this food item. Cereal breakfast can be used with various milk options like dairy, almond, soy, and even oat milk. Adding fresh fruit, nuts, or seeds to this food item can boost its nutritional value and flavor.

In the modern age, it does not confine to only breakfast. Most people eat it dry during the whole day when they need a quick meal to stop little hunger. Because of this, cereal meal is a healthier consumable product than other options like chips or processed snacks.

Cereal has recently been added to many cuisines, from breakfast bars to smoothie bowls. This versatility makes it a simple ingredient to include in various dishes, giving food a crunch and nutritious value.

Lastly, cereal has become a popular and influential in the food industry due to its versatility. You can consume it as an older version, like a classic breakfast, or experiment with updated recipes. Overall, you will find this food item as an adoptable meal for snack time or any other way.

What Cereal Sells the Most Boxes?

Below you can read the top 10 selling cereal brands that have sold boxes in large quantities.

• Cheerios boxes sold: 139.1 million
• Frosted Flakes boxes sold: 132.3 million
• Honey Nut Cheerios boxes sold: 129.3 million
• Honey Bunches of Oats boxes sold: 111.3 million
• Cinnamon Toast Crunch boxes sold: 105.2 million
• Froot Loops boxes sold: 91.7 million
• Lucky Charms boxes sold: 86.4 million
• Frosted Mini-Wheats boxes sold: 71.3 million
• Life boxes sold: 58.1 million
• Fruity Pebbles boxes sold: 54.1 million

Now you can see the stats of Custom cereal boxes sold yearly in the USA. These stats are taken from the National Cereal Day website; more than 2.7 billion cereal boxes are sold annually. That is sufficient to cover the globe 13 times. 49% of Americans start their days with a bowl of cereal, another interesting fact.

Statistics

If we look at the report issued by Statista, approximately 2.87 billion cereal boxes were sold in the US in 2020. Compared to the previous year, it decreased significantly by 3.05 billion boxes. It is important to note that these figures only cover ready-to-eat cereals and exclude oatmeal and hot cereals.

Brands

Only some prominent players in the US market earn lots of money by selling cereal boxes. Only one brand named, Kellogg’s, has approximately 30% of the market share. On the other hand, General Mills is just behind with a 27% market share. The third place has been covered by Fruity Pebbles and Honey Bunches of Oats, with approximately a market share of 13%.

Trends

We have seen a gradual decline in selling cereal sales in the USA for the past few years. It is because due to factors such as different breakfast options available in the market, people are shifting towards healthier eating food items.

This trend is also due to limited editions of cereal boxes or a shortage of flavors. This has become a common marketing technique for cereal manufacturers since it promotes a sense of hurry in consumers and pulls them to try something different.

History of Cereal

This type of food item has a long and exciting history. It was also used back in ancient civilizations. Following are the essential points that are relatable to its history.  

Origins

Ancient people used grains like barley and wheat as cereals. These people belonged to old civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.

Evolution

After that, this food item got evolution, and James Caleb Jackson made the first proper cereal. His cereal recipe was named “Granula.” It was dense and made with hard biscuits. It was less popular due to its taste and texture.

Impact on the food industry

However, after some years, John Harvey Kellogg, with his brother Will Keith Kellogg, launched a new type of cereal that was easier to eat compared to the previous production Granula. Then they created a new kind of cereal named “cornflakes.” It was a huge success. After this improvement, many other types of grain came into the market, making this industry multi-billion.

Environmental Impact

Although this food has some delicious taste, boxes have some significant impacts on the environment. Trees are a common source of cardboard material. So getting this material from trees led to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

Moreover, some companies use sustainable materials to produce cereal box packaging. For example, recycled cardboard or paperboard material is the best choice for biodegradable packaging.

As we talk about most commonly recycled materials, cardboard has gained the top position in this sense. According to a study, 50% of custom cereal boxes are recycled. Different manufacturing companies in the USA have adopted recyclable materials like paper bags instead of using plastic material for liners.

Health Benefits and Drawbacks of Consuming Cereal

These types of food items have advantages and drawbacks at the same time. If we consider its benefits first, consuming cereal is essential for everyone. First of all, it is a common breakfast food item that is consumed all over the world. 

Along with that, the nutritional value of each cereal has been written on every packaging. Anyone can read and take the amount according to the nutrients their bodies need.

Now we have a look at the negative side of these food items. Cereals contain sugars and artificial ingredients to increase their taste. These synthetic mixtures have adverse effects on the consumer body. Just like we know, excess of everything is terrible. 

Every individual can avoid its drawbacks by taking a limited amount which will be less harmful to their bodies. However, if you have some primary disease, you can take it according to the advice of a doctor.  

Some people have an intolerance to gluten or celiac disease. We recommend that those people choose cereals that do not have these ingredients.

How big is the cereal market in the US?

The cereal market in the US is enormous, with an average of US $21.32 billion in 2032. Moreover, we can see further growth in this industry by 2.02% in later years.

How many Americans eat cereal every day?

Around 780,000 Americans consume cereal every day. This data has been collected from Statista based on. US Census data and Simmons National Consumer Survey (NHCS). Annual consumption reached 283.39 million people in 2023.

Conclusion

The bottom line of this article is cereal boxes have a significant market share, and various brands sell billions of boxes yearly. However, many brand owners shifted towards new flavors and healthier options during a decline. I want to see how this industry will grow in the coming years.