Breakfast Cereals Americans No Longer Love

24/7WallSt: Breakfast Cereals Americans No Longer Love

The average American spends about 13 minutes a day preparing and eating breakfast, the meal nutritionists consider to be the most important of the day, according to NPD Group. Increasingly, people are eating less cold cereal, which has been part of breakfast for more than 100 years.

Sales of ready-to-eat cereals fell 2.55 percent in the 52 weeks ending April 17 to $6.41 billion, according to data from Symphony/IRI which covers retail outlets such as supermarkets. Sales of cheap, private label cereals dropped 7.2 percent to $637. 5 million during that same time frame. Sales and units shipped have been lackluster since at least 2007, predating the Global Recession and the recent rise in grain prices. This represents a change in fortunes for Kellogg Co. (NYSE:K), General Mills Inc. (NYSE:GIS) Ralcorp Holdings Inc. (NYSE:RAH), parent of Post, and Quaker Oats owner PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP).
(iStock Photo)

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Breakfast Cereal... The average American spends about 13 minutes a day preparing and eating breakfast, the meal nutritionists consider to be the most important of the day, according to NPD Group. Increasingly, people are eating less cold cereal, which has been part of breakfast for more than 100 years.

Sales of ready-to-eat cereals fell 2.55 percent in the 52 weeks ending April 17 to $6.41 billion, according to data from Symphony/IRI which covers retail outlets such as supermarkets. Sales of cheap, private label cereals dropped 7.2 percent to $637. 5 million during that same time frame. Sales and units shipped have been lackluster since at least 2007, predating the Global Recession and the recent rise in grain prices. This represents a change in fortunes for Kellogg Co. (NYSE:K), General Mills Inc. (NYSE:GIS) Ralcorp Holdings Inc. (NYSE:RAH), parent of Post, and Quaker Oats owner PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP).
(iStock Photo)

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6. Corn Flakes Company: Kellogg
Year Introduced: 1894
52-Week Sales Through April: $107.5 million
Pct. Change During That Period: -5.86 percent
Pct. Change Sales 2007-2010: -3.8 percent

Originally developed in 1894 by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the superintendent of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, as a way to promote the benefits of a vegetarian diet. It’s an American classic like apple pie that is facing hard times because of the growth of private label brands. Also, it’s being undermined by newer organic brands.
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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5. Cherrios Company: General Mills
Year Introduced: 1941
52-Week Sales Through April: $282.9 million
Pct. Change During That Period: -3.86 percent
Pct. Change Sales 2007-2010: -6.9 percent

Cheerios has been the part of the diets of babies and toddlers for generations. Birth rates have fallen, however, as the economy went south. Moreover, the market for healthy cereals has exploded in recent years, further pressuring the venerable brand.
(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, file)

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4. Raisin Bran Company: Kellogg
Year Introduced: 1926
52-Week Sales Through April: $115.1 million
Pct. Change During That Period: -8.4 percent
Pct. Change Sales 2007-2010: -7.9 percent

Raisin Bran is the victim of its own success, which has spawned legions of knock-off brands. Many of them are made by private label makers and sold for a fraction of the cost of the real thing. Cash-strapped consumers probably can’t tell the difference.
(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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3. Rice Krispies Company: Kellogg
Year Introduced: 1928
52-Week Sales Through April: $121.5 million
Pct. Change During That Period: -8.7 percent
Pct. Change Sales 2007-2010: -10.3 percent

Snap, Crackle and Pop are among the most recognized brand icons in history. The product has morphed from a health food to a snack food product. It’s kind of tough to argue that something that’s an ingredient in delicious snacks is healthy.
(iStock Photo)

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2. Corn Pops Company: Kellogg
Year Introduced: 1951
52-Week Sales Through April: $73.8 million
Pct. Change During That Period: -19 percent
Pct. Change Sales 2007-2010: -12.8 percent

Corn Pops are a tough sell these days. Parents — smart ones anyway — are not thrilled if their children ingest sugary cereals. Adults don’t want them either because they are not healthy with 117 calories and 14.8 grams of sugar.
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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1. Special K Company: Kellogg
Year Introduced: 1956
52-Week Sales Through April: $88.9 million
Pct. Change During That Period: -1.4 percent
Pct. Change Sales 2007-2010: -15.9 percent

One of the first diet foods. It’s still a good way to start your day on the right track — nutritionally speaking. Too bad that it is elbowing for attention in a very crowded market.
(AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)

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