Incorporating innovative technology into the packaging of its cereal brands will help create accessibility for the 12 million adults in the US who are blind or have poor vision, according to the Kellogg Company in their latest announcement.
Incorporating NaviLens technology into the packaging of four of its cereal brands – Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Special K Original, Rice Krispies and Cripix – the front and side of these cereal boxes will now feature a NaviLens optical smart code which comprises of high-contrast colourful squares on a black background that can be read and detected by NaviLens and NaviLens Go apps.
Using the apps, consumers can locate the boxes from several feet away, navigate to them, and hear key information about their names, package sizes and nutritional information. The apps can communicate this information in up to 36 languages.
“The heart of Kellogg’s Better Days Promise ESG strategy is the advancement of sustainable and equitable access to food. We work hard to think outside the box to ensure our products are accessible to as many people as possible,” explained Charisse Hughes, Chief Brand and Advanced Analytics Officer at the Kellogg Company. “Thanks to the hard work of our cross-functional teams, we’re able to adapt and leverage this technology to ensure we’re living by our purpose – to create a place at the table for everyone.”
On top of making cereal packaging more accessible, the company has committed to incorporating NaviLens codes in all corporate facilities in the US by the end of 2023, to make the facilities more accessible and easier to navigate for blind and low-vision employees. Codes have already been installed in its global corporate headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan.
The initiative came about through a partnership between Kellogg’s Ready-To-Eat-Cereal business and Kapable, the company’s business employee resource group. Bethany Foor, a member of Kellogg’s Corporate Affairs team and a Co-Chair of Kapable was instrumental in the development of the program, as she has Usher Syndrome – the leasing cause of deaf-blindness.
“Despite my progressive loss in vision and hearing, I have managed to build a rich, fulfilling career at Kellogg. The company lives its mission, is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion,” Foor said. “I’m honored to be able to play a part in making some of Kellogg’s most iconic products more accessible, and grateful for my colleagues and our leaders who are helping us create better days for the blind and those with vision loss.”
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