Cyclone spirit is now part of a balanced breakfast.

Cyclone Crunch is a sweetened multigrain cereal, introduced two weeks ago as part of a new marketing campaign for Iowa State. Each box, retailing at $2.99, can be purchased at the local Fareway Store, 619 Burnett Ave., along with others around the Des Moines metropolitan area.

The ISU Athletics Department teamed up with Fareway Economical Food Stores to bring this new product to the shelves.

Ryan Grant, general manager of Cyclone Sports Properties, originated the idea of creating a cereal brand especially for Iowa State and its fans.

“It is a unique idea of creating a cereal box with an affinity to it,” Grant said.

With the idea planted, Grant met with the marketing department of ISU Athletics to work on the specifics.

“I thought it would be good if we designed the box. It has that character of that football player that kids and adults will look at,” said Mary Pink, assistant athletics director for marketing. “As a kid you would identify with that character and as an adult you see the Cyclones and the new uniform.”

A cardinal colored box containing servings of golden cereal, the custom designed box by the Athletic Department’s graphic designer Paul Meenan incorporates the new ISU logo. A brief history of Jack Trice Stadium, the origins of the names “Cy” and “Cyclone,” among other traditions related to football games, are explained on the reverse side of the box.

Since its introduction, the Cyclone Crunch boxes have become popular with store shoppers.

“I thought it tasted a lot like Cap’n Crunch,” said Adam Halls, senior in civil engineering, after trying Cyclone Crunch for the first time. “It would be fun to eat on game day or get for your Iowa friends, as a gift.”

Beyond nutritional value, the cereal is offering a chance to earn money toward school. Cyclone and Cyclone Crunch fans are encouraged to register online, at www.cyclonecrunch.com, for the opportunity to win one of five $1,000 college savings funds, being given away.

“We produced 30,000 boxes and they will be sold until they run out,” Grant said.