Life Health Foods UK - which brought Aussie breakfast drink Up&Go to the UK market six months ago - has launched a Weetabix-style wheat biscuit containing ancient grain sorghum.
Nutribix, rolling into Tesco this week, followed by Sainsbury’s and Ocado, is available in two variants: a gluten-free version made from 96% wholegrain sorghum; and Gold & Grains, which contains wheat, rye and oats in addition to 11% sorghum (rsp: £3.79 and £3.29 respectively for 24 biscuits). Life Health Foods said sorghum grain was naturally gluten-free, contained fibre, protein and vitamins, and was high in antioxidants.
Pitched as the first gluten-free breakfast ‘wheat biscuit’, Nutribix is the second brand from Life Health Foods - formed last year as a joint venture between Aussie Up&Go owner Sanitarium and a private investment company in Melbourne. The duo, produced by Sanitarium, would breathe life into the struggling cereals category by recruiting adult consumers “bored of plain lacklustre breakfasts”, said CEO James McMaster, formerly joint MD of Ella’s Kitchen UK.
“The cereal aisle has become boring with the same brands offering the same products as they did 10 years ago,” he said, adding Nutribix would provide “a fresh and exciting” alternative.
Tesco, which will stock the range in its free-from section, said Nutribix was a “very exciting” new brand. “Not only does the product taste great but the brand is fun and engaging and brings new life to the shelf,” said free-from buyer Christel McCombie.
McMaster told The Grocer he expected Nutribix would be “as successful” as Up&Go, which has secured listings across the multiples since its launch in February this year. Three new flavours were added to Up&Go last month and the brand this week embarked on a sponsorship of Capital FM’s breakfast show.
Nutribix will be supported by “significant” social media and sampling activity.
No comments yet