Tony the Tiger is looking to earn his stripes in the healthy breakfast category with the launch of a Frosties-branded wholegrain cereal for kids.
Packaged in a distinctive red box, Tiger Power consists of cereal pieces of whole wheat, maize and oats that further pitches Kellogg against its rivals. Although Frosties-branded, it is more similar to Nestlé’s Bitesize Shredded Wheat.
The cereal contains essential B-group vitamins and minerals as well as complex carbohydrates that provide sustained energy release. It also has less than one teaspoon of sugar per bowl and contains no added salt.
Tiger Power is only the second wholegrain product
from Kellogg to be aimed specifically at children, sitting alongside Rice Krispies Multigrain, which was launched in February last year.
The move follows a flurry of activity by cereal manufacturers in the area of wholegrain. Nestlé recently changed the formula of all its cereal brands including Cheerios, Shredded Wheat and Shreddies brands to contain wholegrain and in June Weetabix launched Weetaflakes, with low sugar and salt.
Cereals represent 62% of all children’s breakfasts, according to TNS, and health is a deciding factor in food choices.
Kellogg decided to launch the variant under its Frosties brand, rather than include wholegrain across its portfolio, to give consumers more choice. “What’s very successful is that we do have a choice for everybody,” said Sam Fulton, Kellogg’s corporate communications manager. “Consumers eat a range of cereals and like to mix and match products.”
Kellogg produces 40 brands and about a third of them contain varying levels of wholegrain. A TV campaign from this month supports the launch.
Stefan Chomka