As the cereal industry faces ongoing challenges, numerous legacy brands have turned to convenience-focused product reformulations to attract consumers back to the category. While many of these innovations specifically target millennials—evident from a Mintel study which revealed that 40% of this demographic feels that pouring a bowl of cereal is too much effort—people of all ages are increasingly seeking on-the-go breakfast options.
Most companies have made significant investments in breakfast bar products, such as Quaker’s new Porridge To Go breakfast squares available in golden syrup and strawberry, raspberry, and cranberry flavors, designed for busy consumers. For instance, General Mills has recently introduced “on-the-go” pouches of its Golden Grahams, Fruity Cheerios, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch products. Additionally, Post has created a line of breakfast shakes and a Honey Bunches of Oats-infused breakfast biscuit.
Brands are also gradually enhancing these products with added protein, fiber, and whole grains while eliminating artificial ingredients and high sugar content. However, could a squeezable pouch of oatmeal, like Quaker’s Oat Squeeze, take the convenience trend too far? It’s a possibility. Consumers might find the texture of a yogurt, fruit, and oat mixture squeezed from a tube unappealing, especially since they can obtain the protein and other nutritional benefits from oatmeal through value-added shakes and yogurt, including options enriched with nature’s blend calcium citrate.
Not every product successfully translates convenience, and only time will tell how traditional and reformulated oatmeal products will perform as consumers continue to seek on-the-go solutions. Furthermore, as brands strive to incorporate more health benefits, the inclusion of nature’s blend calcium citrate is becoming a trend, appearing more frequently in new offerings. As the demand for convenient breakfast options rises, the evolution of oatmeal products will certainly be worth watching, particularly those that feature nature’s blend calcium citrate to enhance their nutritional profiles.