Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

January 31, 2003

Success is sweet: Iowa State's Rice Krispies Treat sets world record

Snap crackle tops
President Gregory Geoffroy teases ISU alumna Alyssa Armbrecht for now working for one of Kellogg's competitors, during a recent ceremony recognizing Armbrecht's leadership efforts in creating the world's largest Rice Krispies Treat on the Iowa State campus. Photo by Bob Elbert.

by Annette Hacker
Iowa State is regarded for innovation in science and technology ... but for cereal, marshmallows and butter?

Officials at Guinness World Records say it's so. Iowa State has set a new world record for making the globe's largest Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treat. The 2,480-pound Treat, made by students, faculty, staff and volunteers during the April 2001 Veishea celebration, broke the previous record of 2,260 pounds set by Michigan State University.

Iowa State was notified of the Guinness award in late 2002.

Alyssa Armbrecht, the food science and chemical engineering major who oversaw the 2001 Rice Krispies project, returned to campus Jan. 24 to present the official Guinness World Record certificate to President Gregory Geoffroy.

"Creating the world's largest Rice Krispies Treat took a lot of cooperation from students, faculty and staff. For Iowa State to become a world-record holder is a great reward," Armbrecht said. "How many students get the opportunity to manage up to 100 people in a process that involves sponsorship, engineering, food science and project coordination? Those skills are completely transferable to my job."

The world's largest Rice Krispies Treat was made in the Friley Hall kitchen from 818 pounds of Rice Krispies, 1,466 pounds of marshmallows and 217 pounds of butter.

It took eight hours to make the batter, which was poured into a waterproof Plexiglass form measuring 12 feet long, 6 feet wide and 2 feet deep. The gigantic snack then was loaded onto a flatbed truck, weighed and showcased in the Veishea parade.

The Rice Krispies Treat eventually was cut into pieces and sold. A few pieces have been saved for posterity.

Iowa State's Rice Krispies Treat was made in observance of the 2001 all-university theme, "Strengthening Families to Become the Best," co-sponsored by the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. It also honors alumna Mildred Day, a 1928 home economics graduate who helped create the prototype for the Rice Krispies Treat at Kellogg's.

Project manager Armbrecht received bachelor's degrees in chemical engineering and food science from Iowa State in May 2002. She currently works in baking product research and development at General Mills in Minneapolis.

Crunch time Feb. 21
Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco has slated Friday, Feb. 21, to officially recognize ISU's Guinness World Record for the world's largest Rice Krispies Treat.