Kellogg’s is set to launch a multimillion-pound campaign in an attempt to boost the dwindling sales of its breakfast cereals. The UK public is buying 12.4 million fewer 500g boxes of Kellogg’s brands annually, as they opt for more enticing European alternatives.
Traditional cereals like corn flakes, which have been a breakfast staple for more than a century, are being replaced by French croissants, flavoured porridge pots, yoghurt and Bircher Muesli. Fast food chains such as McDonalds, Greggs and coffee shop chains are also impacting cereal sales with their breakfast wraps and baguettes.
Additionally, the popularity of high-protein and low-carb diets has negatively affected cereals made from corn, wheat and barley. Kellogg’s cornflakes were originally invented as a treatment for indigestion by Will Kellogg in 1894 for patients at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, Michigan, in the USA, where he worked alongside his brother John.
Interestingly, Bircher Muesli, made from oats, fruit and nuts, was developed around the same time by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Brenner as a healthy raw food start to the day. Kellogg’s is investing £12 million in a marketing push, including a makeover for its mascot Cornelius the cockerel, in an effort to revive its cereal sales.
According to figures published by The Grocer, the top 10 best-selling Kellogg’s cereal brands sold 6.2 million fewer kilos – equivalent to 12.4m fewer 500g boxes – in the 52 weeks to September.
Kellogg’s top-10 cereal brands have seen a mixed performance, with only Coco Pops (+4.8 percent) and Frosties (+6.8 percent) experiencing value growth. However, this £4.5m gain is solely due to higher prices.
Customer reviews on the Tesco website suggest that many Brits are falling out of love with the company’s corn flakes. Some customers have complained about a change in taste, seemingly linked to a reduction in salt for health reasons, while others are disgruntled that the boxes have become smaller.
One customer wrote: “I have eaten Kellogg’s Corn Flakes for almost 40 years and they are not the same taste or quality consistency… bland and undercooked.”
Another said: “I tried to eat it as cereal in the morning, but the flakes were too hard and seemed to be very overcooked.”
Despite this, some shoppers maintain that Kellogg’s original corn flakes are superior to cheaper supermarket alternatives.
Commenting on the sales decline, Andy Williams, UK&I revenue & channel director at Kellogg’s, told The Grocer: “Cereal remains the number one food category at breakfast and is bought by nearly 27m households in the UK. As leaders of the category, we understand the responsibility to drive demand, making it a dynamic and exciting category for retailers and to build a deep understanding of the breakfast occasion and consumers.”
He added that the new marketing campaign, ‘See you in the morning’, is “just one part of this”. Mr Williams said: “We are confident we will drive growth across numerous areas, including new products, partnerships, in-store activation, out of store and communications.”
The new campaign features a giant Cornelius confidently strutting through city streets, set to the tune of Jurassic 5’s 1998 hip-hop track Jayou. Cornelius interacts with various individuals carrying out their unique morning routines, with Kellogg’s cereals and snack bars featuring prominently.
The company stated that the reimagining of Cornelius, who first appeared on Kellogg’s Corn Flakes packs in 1958, symbolises “Kellogg’s dedication to future innovation and investment in cereal”. The revamped Cornelius was created by Framestore, the animation studio behind the Paddington and Harry Potter films.
This follows a £75m investment in a “state-of-the-art transformation” of Kellogg’s Wrexham cereal factory, announced in October, which is Kellogg’s largest investment in British cereal production in more than 30 years. It will create 130 jobs at the site and allow Kellogg’s to produce 1.5 million boxes of cereal per day in the UK.
Chris Silcock, Kellogg’s UK & Ireland MD, said: “Our cereals have been a breakfast staple for 117 years and we’re committed to supporting cereal to continue to perform and grow. We have more new and exciting innovations to come in 2025, where we’ll maximise key seasonal moments and drive incremental growth opportunities within the category. As pioneers of cereal, it’s our responsibility to elevate its status and remind consumers of the value of breakfast at every table.”