Kellogg Company has incorporated NaviLens technology into the packaging of four of its products to help those in the U.S. who are blind or have low vision. The following products will benefit from the packaging redesign: Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Special K Original, Rice Krispies, and Crispix.
The front and side of these cereal boxes will now feature a NaviLens optical smart code that can be detected and read by the NaviLens apps. Consumers can use this function to locate the boxes from several feet away, navigate to them, and hear their names, package sizes, and nutritional 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," said Charisse Hughes, chief brand and advanced analytics officer at Kellogg, in a statement. "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."
In addition to the cereal packaging, Kellogg has committed to incorporating NaviLens codes in all corporate facilities in the U.S. by the end of 2023, to make them more accessible and easier to navigate for blind and low-vision employees.
This initiative came about through a partnership between Kellogg's Ready-To-Eat-Cereal business unit and Kapable, the company's employee resource group that focuses on inclusion for employees with disabilities.
Bethany Foor, a member of Kellogg's Corporate Affairs team and a co-chair of Kapable, was instrumental in the development of the program. Foor has Usher syndrome—the leading cause of deaf-blindness.
"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,” said Foor.
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