"fruitLoops" news and stories

Bucking standard zoo practice, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is urging its visitors to please feed the animals.

The zoo has assembled a Christmas wish list of supermarket items for its residents, who are hoping to celebrate the holiday with Fruit Loops and animal crackers. Now it's up to generous zoo-goers to provide them.

General manager Kate Raymond says the zoo launched the program in 2002 because it "didn't have extra money to do anything special for the animals."

Raymond's daughter had the idea to erect an "angel tree" hung with souvenir ornaments, each featuring a picture of an animal and a list of what it wants for Christmas. This year, the monkeys are asking for pudding pops, the bears are angling for Vienna sausages and the lions are looking for roast beef.

I heard about this on Marketplace Morning Report yesterday, and thought it was interesting. Kellogg's is shrinking the box size of several of its brands of cereal. They aren't, however, planning on reducing the price accordingly.

Apple Jacks, Cocoa Krispies, Corn Pops, Froot Loops and Honey Smacks will all be about two and a half ounces lighter starting this month. According to the LATimes, the effective price increase is intended to offset rising production costs. The cereal maker wouldn't say of they have plans for similar treatment of other cereals, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I totally understand that prices on everything are going up and that companies have to pass that on to the consumer. I'm just amused by the clever ways in which companies accomplish that.