Cereal Marketers Bet on Drinks
General Mills Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., and Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich., have ventured out of the cereal aisle in search of new breakfast opportunities. In the northeast part of the United States, General Mills is test marketing a breakfast shake called BFAST in aseptic paperboard cartons. The shelf-stable, portable drink is touted as the “Nutrition of a bowl of cereal & milk.” An 8-oz serving delivers 180–190 calories, 8 g of protein, 8 g of whole grains, 3 g of dietary fiber, and about 13 vitamins and minerals. Varieties include chocolate, berry, and vanilla.
Available throughout the U.S., Kellogg markets Kellogg’s Breakfast To Go shakes in a 10-oz plastic bottle.Three flavors include chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Each container delivers 180–190 calories, 10 g of protein (nonfat milk, whey protein concentrate, and soy protein isolate), 5 g of dietary fiber, and 24 vitamins and minerals. Products are sold in 4-count packs.
Lancaster candies use a proprietary Nai Bei candy-making process that requires high-quality imported milk and slow cooking. This results in a rich, creamy flavor. Lancaster products compete in the “milk candy” confection category, which accounts for one quarter of the total candy market in China and about $1.2 billion. The three varieties are available in three sizes: 40-g bag with a suggested retail price of 6 RMB; 108-g bag with a suggested retail price of 12.9 RMB; and 228-g bag with a suggested retail price of 24.9 RMB.