Others may be checking for bruises as the furore over guideline daily amounts (GDAs) versus traffic-light labelling rages on, but Kevin Brennan, Kellogg marketing director, is convinced that the controversy is doing the food industry good.

"Let's face it, it's already a win for the FSA because the industry is grouping together to move voluntarily and consumers' perception is therefore a lot higher," he says.

Kellogg, together with Danone, Kraft, Nestlé and PepsiCo, decided to jump the Food Standards Agency's traffic lights recommendations back in February, announcing that they were going ahead with the GDA labelling pioneered by Tesco.

A significant number of manufact-urers have since joined them, as well as Somerfield and Morrisons.

"This is probably the biggest joint investment in the industry and we're not going to get there immediately," says Brennan. "But there is ongoing research and we will be running an education campaign together, so consumers will get used to it.

"What we have on-pack is government data; we haven't made it up. All we're doing is taking the data and telling consumers how much sugar, fat and salt is in there."

It is not only labelling that has been an issue in the breakfast cereals category; innovation has also been key. Wholegrains, heart health, fibre and now cholesterol-reduction are buzzwords, while on-the-go formats and hot options are multiplying.

Brennan is clear about the reasons. "Cereal is on trend," he says. "It's fundamentally healthy and is more aligned with consumer trends than ever."

Kellogg has been at the forefront, extending its Special K portfolio with Bliss, putting Crunchy Nut in bar format, adding Crunchy Oat Bakes to its All-Bran stable and launching its first major brand for years in the shape of Optivita, which claims to have cholesterol-lowering benefits. Category rivals have not been slacking either. Weetabix has branched out into oats and a premium format of its flagship brand; Nestlé has hammered home the heart-health message; Jordans has brought superfoods to the breakfast table; and PepsiCo's Quaker brand has harnessed its oats power in hot cereals.

Brennan sees this activity across the board as positive. "Category growth is healthier for everybody and the category is very responsive to news," he says.

"Cereal can bring real benefits to the diet. Shape management, fibre and cholesterol-lowering are very easy to do at breakfast and, unlike taking tablets, it's tasty."

The company is just about to expand Coco Pops with a new Mega Munchers line and is adding a chocolate variant to its Bran Flakes offering. "We need to keep making the healthy options tasty," says Brennan. "Most people don't have enough fibre in their diet and they know they don't, so it's a question of finding something tasty in the right format. If it doesn't taste good, it won't get bought."

He is acutely aware, though, of recent criticism by consumer watchdog Which? of the sugar levels in cereals. "I find it intensely frustrating," he says. "Three million kids are not eating anything at the breakfast table and consumers know that ­cereals are ten times better than what they buy on their way to school.

"If breakfast is the most important meal of the day and has ten to 15% of the recommended daily allowance of sugar, where's the problem? It's easy to play with data.

"People who eat cereal for breakfast are far less likely to be obese than others. We've been around for 100 years and remain one of the most trusted brands. You can't be as big as we are if you don't deliver."

Brennan himself has been in the industry for a few years, five with Segram and seven with ­Cussons, including a stint in China. He has spent a further seven with Kellogg as marketing director for Europe and Australia and has no plans to move on.

"There's an opportunity for ­Kellogg to turn the UK into a thriving business and you don't do that in two years, so I think I'll be here for a good few years yet," he says.

He predicts strong growth from Coco Pops and Special K in particular, claiming that the latter brand is challenging Weetabix as category leader. But even the company's veteran brands will get input. There is now a Corn Flakes Honey variant, while Rice Krispies, which already includes prebiotics in its Multi-Grain line, is set for activity too.

"The major challenge is finding new news," says Brennan. "Innovation adds value and grows the category, and I still find that exciting."

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