Cereal for dinner? Magic Spoon makes it possible.
Entrepreneurs Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz were once very into crickets. So into them, in fact, they started a company together, Exo, which created protein bars made from ground insect flour. Now, their next edible is a little more colorful, and, to those who prefer cartoons, to say, bugs, palatable. Magic Spoon, a cereal created to replicate the colorful, sweet joy of childhood junk food (you know the brands), but without the actual junk, combines the duo’s love for health food and futuristic eats.
Magic Spoon’s low-carb, high-protein, sugarless cereal rings (they look like Cheerios) can be enjoyed on diets like keto, or as part of anyone’s regular breakfast routine and taste like, well, cereal, not some engineered concoction to replicate what sweet, crunchy cereal should be. The loops are legit, and so far, only sold online, via bulk order or subscription, similar to a meal kit, but you’ll ahve to source the milk yourself.
With cereal that tastes this good and offers so much nutritional value (as opposed to, well, none), milk protein, natural sweetener, tapioca flour and chicory root fiber, the key ingredients that create Magic Spoon, may be the future of breakfast. Lewis and Greg Sewitz answered a few questions about their rapid success, the nostalgia of fun flavored cereal, and the future of your morning meal.
Magic Spoon’s cocoa cereal has no added sugars, 12 grams of protein per serving, and is gluten free. … [+]
What made you want to create Magic Spoon? Why cereal and why sweet, child-like cereal rather than, say, granola?
We both grew up loving cereal and eating it every morning for breakfast. But like a lot of people, when we started paying attention to our health, we felt guilty eating it. We started asking ourselves why no one had created a healthy cereal that tastes and evokes the same joy of childhood classics. When we couldn’t find a convincing answer, we decided to create a solution ourselves.
As we learned more about the cereal industry, we were shocked by the true scope of the problem. So much of what you find in the cereal aisle is stuck in an old paradigm of high sugar options, or the polar opposite, bland healthy cereal. We were inspired to create a middle ground. People love cereal and have such an emotional connection to it. We wanted to honor people’s love of cereal and were determined to find a way to have it speak to what modern consumers are looking for today.
What was the R&D process like?
We experimented for over a year to create a cereal that embodied the flavors and nostalgia of our favorite childhood versions, while upgrading the ingredients for a 21st century consumer. It was a challenge to make sure we hit all the right nutritionals while still having a delicious taste. Because we didn’t want to use sugar, creating a sweetener blend that mimicked the sweetness of classic cereals took a while. And because most cereal is grain-based, creating cereal that had a nice puff but also a satisfying crunch out of a protein base took a lot of trial and error.
Magic Spoon founders Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz with their cereal.
What inspired the first round of flavors?
We launched with four initial flavors: Cinnamon, Cocoa, Frosted and Fruity. We just released two new seasonal flavors, Pumpkin Chai and Blueberry. These are meant to be upgraded twists to the flavors we all grew up with.
Where did the name Magic Spoon come from?
We wanted something that sounded fun and whimsical. The very first person who tried our prototypes couldn’t believe that it didn’t contain tons of sugar and said “this is pretty magical”.
Why use a subscription model? Do you see consumers eating Magic Spoon daily?
Convenience is key and consumers, especially millennials, are buying more online than ever before. It made the most sense for us to cater to today’s shopping trends by sending our product directly to people’s doorsteps. A great byproduct of this model is also that our feedback loop is much tighter, and we can get direct feedback from our customers. This insight has been really valuable as we guide the business forward.
How does Magic Spoon represent the future of cereal or packaged food?
We’ve awakened a sleepy category in the food industry and found a way to tap back into the joy of this Saturday morning cartoon treat. We are a high protein, low carb, guilt-free cereal that fits into the varying en vogue diets of today (keto-friendly for example) without sacrificing taste. Our goal is to transform the cereal industry by building a new category of nutritious and flavorful cereal.
What’s the best way to enjoy Magic Spoon?
People have gotten really creative with their Magic Spoon. We have fans that eat it everyday for breakfast and we’ve heard from consumers that it’s their go-to mid-afternoon daily snack. There is the age old question, “is cereal better crispy or drenched in milk?” However you like it, we encourage people to choose their own adventure. If you want to get really creative, you could even try it as a topping for yogurt or made into a cereal bar.
What’s next for Magic Spoon?
After the success of our seasonal flavors, we’ve heard our customers loud and clear that they want more and new flavors, so we’ll be working to keep bringing out new versions. For now we’re laser focused on bringing new people in the world of Magic Spoon and making sure our existing customers stay incredibly happy!