Kellogg Canada launches new products for busy consumers

Kellogg Canada has launched 10 new products in Canada, many of which are outside the struggling cereal category.

The products include Kellogg’s To Go Breakfast Shakes, Special K Chocolatey Red Berries cereal, Special K Cracker Chips Salt & Vinegar, Special K Pastry Crisps, Special K Protein Morning Shakes (see photo, right) and Nutri-Grain Fruit Crunch Bars.

“Canadians are busier than ever before,” said Chris Bell, vice-president marketing, Kellogg Canada. The new products “are making it easier for them to get the nutrition they need to get through the day."

Bell said the new products will be marketed in store with a combination of display-ready pallets or cases, point of sale communications, sampling, promotions and couponing.

In addition, the products are being supported with a mix of TV, print, digital marketing, public relations, online media and sampling.

In a recent call with stock analysts, Kellogg CEO John Bryant announced that sales in the breakfast unit have declined by 4% in the U.S.

Bell said the situation is similar in Canada. “Canada saw softness in the cereal category throughout most of the year, much like in the U.S. and other developed markets.”

Bryant also told analysts that an ad campaign in the second quarter will tout the overall benefits of cereal rather than any particular brand.

For his part, Bell said that over the last six months Kellogg Canada has “been working to create a calendar of initiatives, including a campaign to reinforce the values of cereal and the role Kellogg plays in bringing that to the consumer, which we will be initiating in our core markets, including Canada.”

Bell added the Kellogg’s To Go Breakfast Shakes “are a complete breakfast and a great way to satisfy morning hunger on-the-go.” They have 10 g of protein, 5 g of fibre and 230 calories per serving and are available in chocolate and vanilla flavours.

Mocha and café latte flavours have joined the lineup of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry Special K Protein Morning Shakes, which were launched last year.

The shakes, which have 190 calories, 10g protein and 5 g of fibre, are intended to be a complement to a complete breakfast and are designed for weight conscious consumers, Bell said.

He adds that Kellogg is “dedicated to the development of innovative, delicious, high quality products that meet the evolving tastes and needs of our consumers.”