Kudos Bars – “Kudos, I’m Yours”

Mars Incorporated produced the chocolate-covered granola known as Kudos Bars. Nutty fudge, chocolate chip, and peanut butter were the three flavors offered when they were first introduced in 1986. Although the initial goal was to provide a healthy candy bar substitute, the original formulation of the bar was much more candy bar-like and placed less emphasis on the granola. 

Even though Kudos Bars were no longer produced in 2017, those who were children at the time still have fond memories of them. So, if you want to know more about this delicious and mouthwatering snack, keep reading this article.

Overview

Kellogg’s introduced Kudos bars in 1986. It was marketed as a granola snack with a candy-like flavor that was healthy. The bars had a thick layer of chocolate covering them.

The cookies were promoted as a healthy and practical food choice and were made from whole-grain oats and other natural components. They had a chewy texture and a nice mix of sweetness and flavor, and they came in a range of varieties like chocolate chip and peanut butter. In the 1990s and 2000s, when multigrain cookies were viewed as a healthy snack, Kudos ruled the market. Mars was able to grow its market share and enter the cereal and confectionery industries thanks to the product. 

The Kudos Bars were offered between 1986 and 2017. The initial varieties of Kudos were peanut butter, chocolate chip, and nutty fudge. Later, the business merged the granola bars with some of its well-liked confectionery bars. Snickers, M&Ms, and Dove candies were some of the brands that collaborated. 

Kudos was reintroduced in 2011 with new tastes and a fresh appearance. The milk chocolate coating on the bars had been removed. Instead, they had a cocoa-underlying layer and granola on top. The cereal on top of each cookie was drizzled with chocolate. Kudos’ updated design made it appear more like a granola bar than a candy bar. 

Kudos also promoted the health benefits of its new products. They had 20% more peanuts and more calcium. Despite having a sizable following, Mars removed Kudos from the market in 2017. Many believe the cancellation was caused by granola bars losing popularity in favor of other nutritious meals. There has never been any indication that Kudos will make a comeback.

Variations And Flavors 

Seven different types of Kudos Bars flavors were offered by 1990. The chocolate chip bar had 180 calories and 1.25 ounces when Kudos cereal bars were first offered in the 1980s.

They debuted “Simply Kudos” in 1993, which are 100-calorie variants of the cookies without the chocolate coating. This was likely done at least in part in reaction to complaints that the original snacks were far from the kind of nutritious food that the term “granola” suggested.

A fresh iteration of the bar debuted in 2011. In this iteration, the treats were mixed with other Mars snacks, and the complete confectionery covering was replaced with a chocolate drizzle. They were also slimmer. The variant that was available from 2011 to somewhere around 2017 included smaller cookies with just 0.83 ounces each and 100 calories.

Advertisements & Promotional Campaigns

In a commercial, Mars showed granola bars being munched on by individuals of all ages. In the iconic “Kudos, I’m Yours!” Kudos were portrayed in a television commercial as the perfect food to invigorate a tennis match or spur a Little League grand slam.

Packaging And Appearance

The initial Kudos Bars were wrapped in white paper and resembled candy bars. Kudos Bars were square, as opposed to the flat structure of the majority of cereal bars. 

The snack’s appearance and form were altered in 2011 to a more conventional rectangle. There was less chocolate in them than in the initial bar. M&M chocolates in tiny form were pressed onto the top of Kudos Bars. While the taste of the M&M’s Minis in the Snickers was comparable, peanuts were used instead. The bar was initially distributed in cardboard packs of six. A 30-bar variety box was the 2011 offering.

Rain gauges, boxes, bags, and antique wrappers are a few valuable things that could be collected and were also offered by Mars alongside the Kudos Bars. Additionally, Kudos and Star Wars worked together to include movie figures on some of the granola packs.

The name was written in a cursive typeface on the initial Kudos Bars logo. Depending on the flavor of the bar, the name’s hue would vary. The 2011 emblem featured a new design. With the same typeface and brown characters on a yellow backdrop, the name was displayed. The bar on the package could be seen in both designs. Above the new bars was an image of pyrotechnics from Mars’ initial advertisement. The phrase “It’s tomorrow’s food, today” was also included. 

Logo

Will Kudos Bars Ever Be Reintroduced?

As already mentioned above, in 2017, the popular treats completely vanished from grocery store displays and Amazon.com. On Facebook, a corporate representative for social media acknowledged that Kudos Bars had been discontinued, but provided no further information. Did revenue suffer? Was there a regulatory problem? There doesn’t seem to be a means for the general population to know for sure.

But there may still be hope for all of the ardent Kudos supporters. According to a check of the federal copyright database, Mars registered the name again in December 2020.

People can only speculate as to whether this move indicates there are plans to re-release another iteration of the product or if they simply did it to prevent someone else from leveraging the popularity of the product for their own gain. 

What Kudos Bars Taste Like?

Granola bars under the Kudos Bars name are distinguished by their distinctive tastes and textures. The mix of whole grains, oats, and clusters in Kudos Bars gives the bars a distinctive texture that is simultaneously chewy, brittle, and crispy. The bars are a delicious choice for people looking for a snack bar because they come in a variety of varieties like chocolate chips, peanut butter, and s’mores. 

The cookies were a healthy choice for those looking for food that is also nutritious because they are made with whole grains and are a good source of fiber and protein. Kudos are an excellent choice for individuals with dietary limitations because they are also gluten-free and don’t contain high fructose corn syrup. 

Replacements for Kudos Bars 

Although Kudos Bars are no longer manufactured, there are plenty of substitutes for those who mourn them. In general, those searching for alternatives to Kudos Bars have a wide range of choices. There is probably a product that will fit your taste and choice, whether you prefer a granola bar with a crunchy texture, one made with organic ingredients, or one in a variety of varieties.

Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars

Made with whole grain cereals, these bars are available in a range of varieties, including peanut butter, almond butter, and assorted nuts. They offer a sugary and crunchy substitute for Kudos Bars.

Clif Bars

Clif Bars are organically produced bars available in a range of varieties like chocolate chip, peanut butter, and mixed almonds. Even better, they offer a more handy and varied taste selection than Kudos Bars.

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars are made with whole cereals and are a great source of energy, making them ideal for on-the-go snacks. These bars, which are a great substitute for Kudos Bars, are available in a variety of varieties, like chocolate chip, peanut butter, or assorted nuts.

Mars, Inc. – the Company Behind Kudos Bars

One of the biggest food corporations in the world was founded in 1911 and is called Mars, Inc. In his Tacoma, Washington, kitchen, business founder Frank C. Mars began operations. The company currently operates four business divisions: Petcare, Food, Mars Wrigley, and Mars Edge. 

Frank C. Mars of Tacoma, Washington, established the Mar-O-Bar brand in 1911. Frank C. Mars produced a variety of buttercream candies in his house. His first candy business, which hired 125 people, was built on the principles of quality and value. Frank Mars moved to bigger accommodations in Minneapolis in 1920, where the Milky Way and Snickers bars were developed.

 In 1922, the business reported a $6,000 deficit, but by 1924, revenues had surpassed $700,000. In 1926, Mars changed the name of his business to Mars Sweets. Due to the company’s fast expansion, Mars sought out bigger facilities and established a new factory in a Chicago suburb in 1928. 

M&Ms, Skittles, Snickers, and Extra are among the products produced by Mars Wrigley. The grandchildren of Frank Mars own the company, which employs 140.000 people in over 80 countries.

Ingredients

• Granola (Crisp rice, Oats, Sugar, Wheat flakes, Brown sugar, Salt, Barley malt) Corn syrup
• Milk chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Cocoa butter, Skim milk, Lactose, Milkfat, Chocolate processed with Alkali, Soy Lecithin, Natural, and artificial flavors)
• Vegetable oil (Palm kernel oil, Palm oil, Palm oil, and/or/ Hydrogenated palm oil)
• Calcium Carbonate
• Fructose
• Glycerin
• Maltodextrin
• Less than 2% of the following: Salt, Cocoa powder, Whey, Soy lecithin, Gum Acacia, Carrageenan, Xanthan gum, Hydrolyzed wheat protein, Natural and artificial flavors, TBHQ to maintain freshness, Peanuts, Almonds.

Nutrition

Serving Size:	1 bar (28g)	% Daily Value*
Amount Per Serving
Calories	130
Total Fat	5.8g	7%
Saturated Fat	2.9g	14%
Trans Fat	0.1g
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	75mg	3%
Total Carbohydrates	18g	7%
Dietary Fiber	0.7g	3%
Sugars	12g
Protein	1.7g

• The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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Bottom Line

Above in this article, we explored delicious and mouthwatering Kudos Bars. Kudos Bars was the breakfast cereal replacement for many years. The bars were manufactured by Mars, Incorporated, a company that also produces Twix, Milky Way, and Snickers, so yes, they are known as confectionery.

Kudos Bars were a well-liked option for those looking for a distinctive and healthful snack option because many people find them to be a tasty and satisfying substitute for conventional granola bars.

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