Fans of Pop-Tarts® who grew up with slap bracelets, ripped jeans and neon shirts can reach for a new favorite snack that's fresh like the many colors of spring: Pop-Tarts® Frosted Confetti Cake Bites.

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- As panic-ridden consumers stock up on essentials, kitchen pantries are looking like a blast from the processed-food past: boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese, cans of Bumble Bee tuna, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, Shake ‘N Bake, etc. Brands of yesteryear that had been struggling to find their place in a new health-conscious society are suddenly having a moment once again. But a moment is probably all it will be, not a new normal, which is why packaged-food companies shouldn’t get too comfortable about their comfort food.The Covid-19 pandemic and shelter-in-place orders have led consumers to revert to old ways of shopping in search of ready-made meals and foods with long shelf lives. Parents who are working from home during this time are multitasking like never before, taking on the role of cook, housekeeper, teacher, disciplinary and full-time employee all at once in a Groundhog Day-like loop. As such, traditional meal times have blurred, and in some cases snacks are replacing them, according to research by Euromonitor International. This explains the resurgence of companies such as General Mills Inc., whose brands include Annie’s, Betty Crocker, Cheerios, Pillsbury and Totino’s pizza rolls. Its U.S. retail sales surged 45% in March and 32% in April. To put that into context, the company’s average annual growth rate was just 1.5% over the last decade.In the U.S., the food category that saw the biggest uptick in demand during the week ended April 25 was bread crumbs and other mixes for coating foods, followed by dough and batter products, according to Nielsen tracking. That bodes well for brands such as Shake ‘N Bake, whose parent company, Kraft Heinz Co., just reported its first quarterly sales boost in more than a year.In recent years leading up to this crisis, Campbell Soup Co. was perhaps the hardest hit by changing consumer tastes and demand for fresher foods. The company lost $8.6 billion of shareholder value between mid-2016 and mid-2018, a performance that saw its last CEO out. But amid the shutdowns, Campbell’s stock has been staging a recovery and is trading near its highest price in three years. Kellogg Co. has called this a “reappraisal opportunity” for cereal — a chance to persuade shoppers to give its sugary products another try. Speaking during Kellogg’s recent earnings call, CEO Steve Cahillane said: “Consumers rediscovering these benefits could be very positive for this category, and we plan to seize this opportunity.”But careful, Kellogg. The fact of the matter is, even if the coronavirus leaves a lasting impression on certain aspects of consumer behavior, the dislocation taking place at supermarkets is shaping up to be more of a temporary phenomenon driven in part by food shortages and fear. Consider the absurdity that about 20% of store-bought noodles have been out of stock in the U.S. since mid-March, when the earliest lockdowns began, according to Euromonitor. That’s on the same level as toilet paper shortages. Even baker’s yeast, of all things, is still sold out in many places. But just like we’re not all going to turn our YouTube-taught hair-cutting skills into new careers, most of us won’t keep up such rigorous home training for “The Great British Bake Off,” either.Consumers generally still want fresh, less-processed and healthier-sounding foods. Nielsen is already seeing this in surveys of other countries: In France, shoppers continue to seek out organic items, while Asian consumers say healthy eating has become more of a priority after the virus. And if the post-virus rise of virtual fitness classes is any indication, health and wellness is still top of mind for lots of people.It’s true, families need convenience right now and many are looking to save money as the U.S. dips deeper into a recession and the unemployment rate soars above 14%. That’s partly why seemingly dated grocery products are coming back into favor. They also provide a sense of nostalgia and familiarity at a time when life has been thrown off course.Another significant factor is all the bulk-buying: Wholesale stores such as Costco and BJ’s offer a much more limited variety that tends to be dominated by big-name food brands (although new trendier products are increasingly making their way in). Buying fresh and organic also usually costs more and sells in smaller packages. Over the next few months, Euromonitor analysts expect a greater shift toward more affordable items, private-label brands and bulk purchases.That does create an opportunity for the food giants. A downside to stocking up is all the packaging and cardboard that accumulates, taking up space. It’s an annoyance that companies could try to resolve if sheltering at home is to become a more regular part of life over the next couple of years rather than a distant memory. As U.S. states reopen, though, consumers will probably start to go back to their old routines — or at least some version of them. A bit of the doomsday-prepper mentality may remain, leading more households to keep their cupboards stocked with nonperishables, just in case. But it’s fair to say that the future of the supermarket isn’t Kraft mac and cheese or Campbell’s canned soup. It would be short-sighted to interpret this moment as a rebuke of their innovation efforts. If anything, it’s a time to step it up. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Tara Lachapelle is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the business of entertainment and telecommunications, as well as broader deals. She previously wrote an M&A column for Bloomberg News.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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Cheez-It®, the official snack of bowl season, announced it is moving east to become title sponsor of the Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The move kicks off a multi-year agreement between Florida Citrus Sports (FCS) and Cheez-It, brokered by Denver-based Impression Sports & Entertainment.

Beyond Meat had a wild first year as a public company. Given the stock (BYND) now trades nearly three times higher than its 52-week low, investors must ask themselves whether Beyond Meat can justify the expectations baked into its stock price. The future profit growth baked into the current stock price assumes the company faces no competition and will achieve 150% market share of the entire meat substitute market while also increasing margins.

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It's not like Americans just sit at home watching their calendars and clocks, waiting for this lockdown to end. Things are still going on, the economy is still working. There are still solid consumer stocks to consider. The economy is just operating on a different level and companies that aren't usually headline grabbers -- like toilet paper makers -- are now front and center as consumers refocus their buying priorities.In an economy, there are always bull markets. Sometimes, they're just harder to find.But the fact is, having families locked down means groceries are a big deal, as well as consumer staples. And the kids are likely jumping from Tik Tok to videogames and back again.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsBut companies still run these parts of the economy and there are some great consumer stocks to buy. * 10 Key Stocks to Watch Over the Next Few Months I have used my Portfolio Grader screening tool to find seven of the best consumer stocks to buy right now. Each of these fit my Growth Investor criteria: * Brown-Forman Class B (NYSE:BF.B) * Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) * Kellogg (NYSE:K) * Hormel (NYSE:HRL) * Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) * Clorox (NYSE:CLX) * Campbell Soup (NYSE:CPB)These are pure plays on consumer demand, so this is their prime time. Let's take a deeper look at what makes each of these consumer stocks stand out from the crowd. Best Consumer Stocks to Buy: Brown-Forman (BF.B)Source: monticello / Shutterstock.com Brown-Forman started selling Old Forester whisky in 1870. Its primary innovation? Sealed bottles to show they hadn't been tampered with before they got to the customers' hands.It has remained true to its Louisville, Kentucky roots over the 150 years. And the company remains in the hands of a Brown to this day.But the company has added a few brands over the years. It owns eight whiskeys, including Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve; three Scotch brands; three tequilas; one vodka; one liqueur; two wines and a gin.With a $30 billion market cap, it's a good-sized player in the space. And the brands it owns are mid- to top tier names that come with higher prices and higher margins. Also, recent studies have shown that younger generations are buying higher quality liquor and drinking less wine and beer.Plus, this lockdown has seen spirits sales soar. A recent analysis from an industry source says off-premises spirits sales are up 27.4% since the lockdown began.BF.B stock is up 25% in the past 12 months and it has a 1% dividend. This "sin" stock is worth a look. Procter & Gamble (PG)Source: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com Procter & Gamble has been around since 1837 -- Martin Van Buren won the presidency and the Panic of 1837 slammed the economy. The "panic" was a major depression that lasted until the mid-1840s.That's quite a time to start a business. But it will teach you to sell what people need at affordable prices if you want to survive. And PG stock has certainly survived over the years.It now has a $280 billion market cap and the kind of economic "moat" around its business that even some of my Growth Investor stocks would envy. In fact, it is so big and pervasive that many of its products compete for market among themselves as much as with competitors.This got the company in a bit of trouble a few years ago, when its portfolio was enormous. Fortunately, PG cleaned house and got rid of many of its unproductive brands and refocused its energies on its money makers. Specifically, a very popular brand right now -- Charmin. * 7 Discounted Mortgage REITs to Buy For Juicy Yields PG stock also delivers a very reliable dividend of 2.8%. It's a rock-solid long-term stock, up 8.5% in the past 12 months. Kellogg (K)Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com Kellogg is another old-school firm that has been in Battle Creek, Michigan since 1906. Not only does it have a prodigious line of cereal products, but it also houses the Keebler Elves cookies, Cheez-Its, Pringles and other snacks and cereals, including the Kashi brand.These are the kinds of comfort foods that already fill the pantries of most houses. But when you're all sitting around the house, these foods are even more prized. These are the go-to brands that generations have grown up on, and that means they're a common denominator when putting together a shopping list.There's no doubt K stock has worthy competitors, but it has been doing well managing its brands and its competition for the past few years. It should be a beneficiary of this time in the economy and even as the economy reopens.K stock is up 11% in the past year, and delivers a healthy 3.6% dividend. Hormel (HRL)Source: calimedia / Shutterstock.com Hormel is another company with roots that go back to Austin, Minnesota in 1891.You should be surprised that many of the consumer stocks that have made this list are companies that have more than a century of experience under their belts.As I always point out at Growth Investor, consumers drive this economy. They have for a long time; some of the most durable companies have been selling products that consumers want for decades, if not centuries -- through good times and hard times.This is why these companies are household names. And the best of these companies have been re-focused to compete in the 21st Century in a global economy.HRL stock is a perfect example. While many pork processing plants have shut down HRL is still shipping meats. And before the novel coronavirus, China was in the grips of the African Swine Flu that wiped out 40% or more of its pigs. Hormel was there to augment their demand. * 7 A-Rated REITs to Buy Now HRL stock is up almost 18% in the past year and has a 2% dividend. Activision Blizzard (ATVI)Source: Piotr Swat / Shutterstock.com Activision Blizzard is one of the leading video game producers in the world. Its Activision brand releases games across all platforms, while its Blizzard brand has been involved with many popular games for PCs in particular. It's also very involved in online gaming as well.The Gen Z's, millennials and Gen Xer's have been the target audiences for these games in recent years. But there is growing data that shows a lot of people that put their controller down years ago, are now back online gaming with friends.This is great news for the industry. And again, while much of the economy has stalled, gamers are driving significant demand in these products now.ATVI stock is backed by a $56 billion market cap, which puts it heads and shoulders above the competition. That also means it's more diversified and slightly more stable than some of the smaller players in the space that rely on one or two titles for much of their revenue.ATVI stock is up 22% year to date and 56% in the past 12 months. And Activision in particular has been around since 1979. That means it has weathered plenty of storms, even when gaming was young and volatile. Clorox (CLX)Source: Roman Tiraspolsky / Shutterstock.com Clorox started in Oakland, California when Woodrow Wilson became president in 1913. It sold bleach.Now, that might not seem very sexy, but it was good business. As a matter of fact, it didn't have to introduce a second product until 1969. That in and of itself is pretty impressive.Plus, it also means it was growing through WWI, the Great Depression and WWII and beyond, just selling bleach.For a while it was acquired by PG, and even that worked in CLX stock's favor until it unwound the deal and went independent again in '69\. That's when it launched Clorox 2 color-safe bleach and acquired Liquid-Plumr.Today, its cleaning products are flying off the shelves. And this "boring" stock is posting returns like it's a tech stock. It's up 37% in the past year; 31% year to date. * 10 Key Stocks to Watch Over the Next Few Months If its sales continue to be strong moving forward, then years from now, CLX stock will continue to deliver for its shareholders. And I've got even stronger buys where that came from. Campbell Soup (CPB)Source: HeinzTeh / Shutterstock.com Campbell Soup was launched in Camden, New Jersey in 1869, four years after the end of the U.S. Civil War.By 1895, it has launched its ready-to-eat tomato soup. And the rest is history.But a few years ago, it looked like CPB stock may well be history. Its famous soups weren't selling and the company was having trouble finding its footing in the grocery aisles.Younger generations weren't reaching for cans of cream of mushroom soup for green bean casseroles and its other standard brands weren't doing much better. CPB stock was off 40% from its 2017 highs by last year.But the company started to make a bigger push into the quality aspects of its brands and refine its product lines. And it has been working. CPB stock is back on a growth track and has regained almost all that loss.In the past 12 months, Campbell is up nearly 30%, and with grocery sales up significantly, that will help improve its earnings even more. It also has a reliable 2.8% dividend.Outside of a crisis, though, consumer staple stocks are tricky if you're looking for growth.That's why I'm more focused on a completely different group, where my favorite stock offers both dividends and huge growth opportunities. The AI Master KeyIf artificial intelligence (AI) sounds futuristic, even far-fetched -- well, keep in mind, you're already using it every day. If you've ever used Alphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google Assistant or Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) Siri … if you've had Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) recommend a movie or Zillow (NASDAQ:Z) recommend a house … even an email spam filter … then you've used artificial intelligence.In this new world of AI everywhere, data becomes a hot commodity.As scientists find even more applications for artificial intelligence -- from hospitals to retail to self-driving cars -- it's incredible to imagine how much data will be involved.To create AI programs in the first place, tech companies must collect vast amounts of data on human decisions. Data is what powers every AI system. As one AI researcher from the University of South Florida puts it, "data is the new oil."To cash in, you'll want the company that makes the "brain" that all AI software needs to function, spot patterns and interpret data.It's known as the "Volta Chip" -- and it's what makes the AI revolution possible.You don't need to be an AI expert to take part. I'll tell you everything you need to know, as well as my buy recommendation, in my special report for Growth Investor, The A.I. Master Key. The stock is still under my buy limit price -- so you'll want to sign up now. That way, you can get in while you can still do so cheaply.Click here for a free briefing on this groundbreaking innovation.Louis Navellier had an unconventional start, as a grad student who accidentally built a market-beating stock system -- with returns rivaling even Warren Buffett. In his latest feat, Louis discovered the "Master Key" to profiting from the biggest tech revolution of this (or any) generation. Louis Navellier may hold some of the aforementioned securities in one or more of his newsletters. More From InvestorPlace * America's 1 Stock Picker Reveals Next 1,000% Winner * 25 Stocks You Should Sell Immediately * 1 Under-the-Radar 5G Stock to Buy Now * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own The post 7 of the Best Consumer Stocks to Buy Right Now appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Gone are the days of jamming hands into cereal boxes because Kellogg's® is transforming snack time with its new line of Kellogg's JUMBO SNAX. The cereal brands fans know and love are now jumbo-size and perfectly packed for snacking.

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Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has assigned a Baa2 rating to $500 million of 10-year senior unsecured notes being offered today by Kellogg Company ("Kellogg"). Kellogg's Baa2/Prime-2 ratings are supported by its strong brands and leading global shares in the highly-profitable, albeit declining, ready-to-eat cereal category.

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