It comes as no surprise that the sustainable packaging movement has spilled over into the cereal aisle. But what is of interest is how two different companies have responded to this trend through contrasting approaches.

          The first is Malt-O-Meal, which claims 10 of the 50 top-selling cereals in volume, according to Nielsen, and which has produced bagged cereals for decades. 

          Starting in late 2008 and through 2009, the company has leveraged this “newfound” advantage by adding a violator to its packaging. For instance, its Tootie Fruities cereal boasts “75% less packaging than Froot Loops boxed cereal.”  Similar violators appear on bags of its alternatives to familiar national brands.

          “Our consumer marketing has historically focused on our cereals’ great taste and high quality and on saving families money,” explains Paul Reppenhagen, Malt-O-Meal’s director of customer marketing. “When research confirmed that 60 percent of households have ‘green intentions,’ it made sense that we should call their attention to the environmental benefits of bag packaging compared to a box with a bag inside.”

          In sharp contrast to that approach is the move this past fall by GrandyOats, a smaller organic cereal producer in . It switched from a bagged format to one the company viewed as even better for the environment: polypropylene (PP) cups. Just as important, the cups help the company distinguish its products in a sub-segment where bagged and stand-up formats are common.

GrandyOats chief granola officer Aaron Anker embraces the concept of reusable and recyclable packaging. “It is a bit more expensive, but we feel it is a higher quality container,” he says. “[Because] we are the only all-organic granola company, it helps our high-quality products to stand out from the rest of the granola brands.”

          GrandyOats offers consumers sustainability options by setting up recycling bins at Whole Foods Market, where the cereal is sold.