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Kellogg’s has completed a government-funded hydrogen manufacturing demonstration at one of its UK factories, becoming the first food manufacturer in the country to produce cereal using this method.

The three-week demonstration was part of the HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching programme, funded through the UK government’s £55 million Industrial Fuel Switching Competition as part of the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.

It involved replacing fuel gas with hydrogen to power the toasting oven at the factory, with the hydrogen-fuelled process successfully producing cereals for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Bran Flakes, Special K and Rice Krispies brands.

This comes after Kellogg’s manufacturer, Kellanova UK, was selected to receive £3 million in funding from the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero in 2023.

The demonstration showcased the role hydrogen can play in supporting industry decarbonisation. It forms part of Kellanova’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions as part of its ‘Better Days’ promise. The initiative also provided learning and upskilling opportunities to employees at the facility.

Sam Bistiaux, vice president of manufacturing at Kellanova, said: “The production of our cereal using hydrogen is an exciting first for us. It’s a significant moment for our people, our operations and the industry as a whole, as it demonstrates the potential of investing in low-carbon fuels to drive decarbonisation. We are excited to be at the pioneering edge of this process, with the technology still in its infancy and the long-term potential truly transformative.”

Bistiaux added that the company plans to share examples of best practice and learnings from the demonstration, hoping to equip other businesses with the confidence and knowledge to take “collective action toward a greener future”.

David Parkin, chair of the HyNet Alliance, commented: “It’s been fantastic to see the results of this demonstration, as part of HyNet’s Industrial Fuel Switching 2 programme, and to see the positive impact investment in hydrogen could have for industry, society and the planet”.

He continued: “Having businesses like Kellogg’s taking part has been hugely valuable in paving the way for other food manufacturers to explore low-carbon fuel, think about their own decarbonisation roadmap and help to make a critical contribution to the UK’s journey to Net Zero carbon emissions”.

Kellanova achieved a reduction of 54% in Europe for its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse as emissions at the end of 2024. It has committed to a 63% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions across its European operations by the end of 2030.