The cereal and snack titan has launched a flurry of new products in the US as 2013 draws to a close, including new ready-to-eat cereal flavors and snack bars. But its two new frozen breakfast variants – bite-sized Eggo Bites and Special K Bacon Egg and Cheese Flatbreads – hold significant appeal in today’s breakfast market, said Ramaa Chipalkatti, analyst at Datamonitor Consumer.
“Kellogg’s new launches significantly emphasize convenience, which is key to attracting today’s busy consumers,” Chipalkatti told BakeryandSnacks.com.
She said the new frozen products will particularly appeal to consumers who do not have time to eat ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal of have a sit-down breakfast – expanding Kellogg’s consumer base.
Targeting busy traditionalists in the morning rush
Kellogg initially launched its Special K frozen flatbread breakfast sandwiches earlier this year. The latest bacon, egg and cheese product will join three other varieties – sausage, egg and cheese; ham, egg and Pepper Jack Cheese; and egg with vegetables and Pepper Jack cheese.
“The Special K breakfast sandwich is a natural expansion route for the Special K brand. Not only does it appeal to weight watchers, it also targets those who do not like ready-to-eat breakfast cereals and those who prefer hot breakfasts,” Chipalkatti said.
“The frozen sandwich offers a convenient solution to breakfast traditionalists who are not yet ready to break away from cooked, sit-down breakfasts, yet can’t afford the time or effort to prepare from scratch,” she added.
Kellogg said its bite-sized variants of the Eggo brand target the “morning rush” and should appeal to families looking for an easy warm breakfast option.
Hot breakfast trend heats up
Chipalkatti said there is a clear shift towards hot breakfasts across the globe.
“Hot breakfast is certainly a developing trend. We are seeing this even within breakfast cereals, where wholesome alternatives like porridge are gaining traction compared to cold breakfast cereals.”
However, when it comes to promoting frozen options, Chipalkatti said manufacturers must be mindful of the “largely negative perceptions of nutritional quality and freshness of frozen foods”.
In addition, cereal bars, biscuits and breakfast drinks potentially have a wider reach than frozen breakfasts because they can be consumed while commuting, she said.
Kellogg recently launched dunkable breakfast biscuits in Europe.