This article is part of our 2016 digital feature on breakfast

Breakfast drinks are flying with sales up an impressive 73.5% to £14.4m on volumes up 60.5% over the past year [IRI 52 w/e 21 May 2016].

Weetabix On The Go, launched in January 2014, contributed the bulk of this and is now worth £10.4m. “The category is pretty new and we’ve got a 72% share of that so we’re becoming synonymous with the breakfast drink, which is fantastic,” says Chris Dubois, head of global insights at Weetabix. “We’re looking to double the brand year on year as it grows rapidly off a small base.”

Up&Go, worth £0.9m, believes the market has masses of potential, claiming the UK market could be worth £100m by 2020. But to achieve this it has to battle with British consumers, many of whom remain unconvinced by the idea of a drink for breakfast.

Exclusive research for The Grocer reveals 38% of Brits think breakfast drinks are a total fad, and a quarter think they aren’t filling enough for the most important meal of the day.

With regards to breakfast drinks such as Up&Go and Weetabix On The Go, which of the following statements do you agree with?
  Total Male Female 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
Breakfast drinks are a total fad 38% 36% 38% 27% 30% 32% 37% 48%
Breakfast drinks aren’t filling enough for breakfast 25% 24% 26% 36% 33% 26% 24% 17%
Breakfast drinks are full of sugar 21% 19% 24% 23% 24% 25% 22% 17%
They are a great way to still have breakfast when I am rushing around in the morning 10% 12% 9% 16% 16% 15% 10% 4%
Breakfast drinks are a great way to start the day 10% 12% 7% 12% 17% 14% 6% 4%
I tend to have them as a post-gym snack rather than for breakfast 4% 5% 3% 9% 6% 8% 1% 1%
None of the above 29% 27% 30% 24% 21% 25% 32% 35%

“There are still loads of people out there who think having a drink for breakfast is kind of strange but we know from other countries that it can be hugely successful and become a movement relatively quickly,” adds Dubois.

It’s not all bad news, though. Ten per cent think they’re a great way to start the day while another 10% believe they are ideal for busy mornings. Another opportunity for high-protein breakfast drinks, such as Fuel10k, is as a post-gym snack.

Previous article: Infographic: Who’s plumping for protein at breakfast?

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