Rolling out to retailers across the US, the new products comprise two Quaker SuperGrains Instant Hot Cereals (srp $4.19 for six-pouch pack) and two Real Medleys SuperGrains Granola (srp $3.99 for an 11 oz bag).
Available in Honey Almond or Apples & Cinnamon flavors, the Instant Hot Cereals contain oats, barley, rye, flax and quinoa. Each serving contains seven grams of protein from a blend of grains, whey and seeds; five grams of fiber; and 160 mg of ALA Omega-3 from flax.
In Cinnamon Apple Walnut and Blueberry Pecan, Real Medleys SuperGrains contain oats, wheat, flaxseed, quinoa, sunflower seeds, amaranth and barley. Each serving contains 28 grams of whole grains and is described by PepsiCo as “a good source of fiber.”
'Fuel busy lives'
"We're committed to uncovering the power of the whole grain oat to help fuel the busy lives of families,” said Quaker Foods North America senior marketing director Lesley Butler.
Quaker has been bucking a sluggish performance from the hot cereals category, where unit sales were virtually flat in 2015, according to IRI data. The weak performance was largely a result of a decline in private-label products, while sales of Quaker Oats Company products grew 3.7% - or $28m overall.
PepsiCo Q1 results
News of the launch comes in the week PepsiCo announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2016, with organic revenue growth of 3.5%, and reported net revenue down 3%.
The company said Quaker Foods’ performance had been positively impacted by factors including productivity gains and lower raw material costs, although these were partially offset by higher advertising and marketing expense and operating cost inflation.
The new Quaker launches are part of what PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi described this week as a reshaping of the company’s portfolio to tap growing consumer interest in health and wellness. She said “everyday nutrition” products such as those containing grains, fruits, vegetables and proteins now account for 25% of PepsiCo revenue.
Further breakfast NPD
Quaker was last month extended into the US breakfast market with Quaker Breakfast Flats. Launched in boxes containing five packs of three crispy bars in a pull-out tray, they are available in three flavors - Cranberry Almond, Banana Honey Nut and Golden Raisin Cinnamon - with a suggested retail price of $3.49.