Breakfast brilliance

Health-conscious consumers are avoiding sugar, and cereal companies are following suit. Healthier, wholesome breakfast food is seeing a spike in popularity – particularly among parents, writes Paulie Doyle

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Brand Central

In line with an overall increase in consumer concern with healthier eating, shoppers are now looking for healthier options to start the day – particularly if their kids can be fed a more nutritious meal. Irish trends reveal that breakfast choices are not immune to the overarching pattern of Irish consumers gravitating toward more wholesome lifestyle choices.

Consumers are staying away from sugary options and leaning toward other heartier breakfast foods like oatmeal, which have a lower sugar content and a reputation for being more filling. Additionally, with employment on the rise, an increasing number of people will be working longer hours, and thus have less time to sit down and eat a full formal breakfast. Quick breakfasts that do not require much preparation will be top choices for many in the workforce.

Responding to this trend, the manufacturers of sugary cereals are changing their product. Last year, it was announced that the sugar levels in a number of popular children’s cereals would be reduced, in some cases by up to 40%, in a bid to combat public health problems associated with being overweight or obese. With so many cereal options and copycat brands, the breakfast market remains increasingly competitive.

Quality ingredients come together perfectly

Goodness of Both combines the smoothness of white bread with all the goodness of wholemeal

As Ireland’s oldest bakery, Johnston Mooney & O’Brien has more than 180 years of experience in selecting high-grade flour from the finest wheat grown harvests. Over time, the company has refined its recipes so that all its quality ingredients come together perfectly to make consumers’ favourite fresh-baked breads. To each of the breads, Johnston Mooney & O’Brien adds a unique ingredient; its long-standing heritage of crafting superior tasting baked goods. A healthy balanced diet has always been essential for living a full and active life and the brand believes its baked goods play an important role in maintaining consumers’ health.

Johnston Mooney & O’Brien’s Toastie has been sliced to just the right size and shape to create an ideal slice of toast

With Goodness of Both bread, consumers can enjoy the smoothness of white bread with all the goodness of wholemeal, offering a nutritionally attractive option for those who prefer the taste of white bread.

With the famous Toastie, Johnston Mooney & O’Brien has taken great care to ensure it slices its bread to just the right size and shape to create the most perfect slice of toast. Why not take a little lunchbox inspiration from its recipe page at www.jmob.ie?

A force of nature!

Lifeforce was founded in Dublin in 1977 and since then has been on a mission to provide foods just as nature intended. Foods that will not just nourish you but help you to achieve your full potential in life – whatever that may be! Wholesome products shouldn’t have to compromise on taste and Lifeforce is confident that it has got that balance just right.

For those looking to make healthier choices but who do not want to compromise on taste, Lifeforce’s cereals range offers a great choice.

Lifeforce’s Irish Muesli was its first ever product and the recipe has remained the same today since 1977. The 100% natural whole ingredients provide a balanced slow release of energy and its no added sugar sweet taste comes entirely from chopped dates and raisins. Lifeforce has also introduced a Gluten Free Muesli and Ancient Grains Muesli to the range.

To order Lifeforce for your store, contact the team on 041 9870300 or email info@lifeforce.ie.

Tasty source of fibre

Each pot of Activia Grains & Nuts contains creamy yogurt mixed with a selection of grains, nuts and seeds

With Activia* being enjoyed by one-quarter of Irish households, 2018 has been a step changing year for the brand as it brings exciting and relevant innovations to meet the needs of Irish consumers. This has fuelled overall brand growth for the first half of 2018 of +17% year-to-date (YTD). What’s more, Activia’s no added sugar range has enjoyed YTD growth of +33%.**

The latest addition is the launch of Grains & Nuts; a tasty new breakfast solution. Each pot contains creamy yogurt mixed with a selection of grains, nuts and seeds. This delivers a satisfying, crunchy texture with a tempting nutty taste.

The new development is broadening breakfast occasions for Irish consumers, offering a source of fibre, protein and exclusive yogurt cultures. The latest flavour to join the Grains & Nuts family is ‘Muesli 0% Fat’, allowing consumers to start their day with a tasty source of fibre. Expect to see some exciting new flavours coming soon from the Activia Grains & Nuts family as it expands the brand’s options for morning consumption.

*(Enjoy as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle; calcium contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes)

**(Source: Nielsen up to 17 June 2018)

An overnight sensation!

The nation’s favourite porridge brand, Flahavan’s has revealed an innovative new product. Flahavan’s Overnight Oats promises to be an overnight success in fridges all over Ireland.

Consumers can refresh their morning routine with Flahavan’s new Overnight Oats, a convenient ready-made mix of tasty Flahavan’s Irish oats with Apple, Raspberries, Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds.

Breakfast is ready to enjoy straight from the fridge, thanks to this innovative product, made with only the finest locally-sourced oats. All oat fans have to do is add milk, apple juice or water to the ready-mix the night before, pop it in the fridge and then enjoy it delightfully fluffy and chilled the following morning at home or take it to the office in sealed container to enjoy at work.

Overnight Oats are not just handy but healthy too. High in fibre, a source of protein and creamy, Overnight Oats’ slow release energy will keep even the busiest of bees buzzing until lunchtime!

Made with no added sugar, just oats, nutritious seeds and dried fruit, this new exciting addition to the Flahavan’s brand will tick a lot of boxes for a refreshing start to the day. The oat experts at Flahavan’s recommend adding a dollop of natural yogurt the next morning for an even tastier start to your day.

“As innovators in the oat field we’ve been watching the rising trend of overnight oats for some time,” says Moya Verling, brand manager, Flahavan’s. “Now, with its increased popularity in Ireland, we’re excited to launch a novel product to the market that will recruit new oat fans, and also extend the oat eating occasion for traditional porridge fans into the summer months,”

Flahavan’s Overnight Oats is available in an attractive and handy 450g drum format, providing 10 tasty portions, and with a free scoop for easy measuring.

Visit www.flahavans.ie, follow on Twitter www.twitter.com/FlahavansIRL or become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/flahavans for lots of Overnight Oats information, inspiration and recipes.

40% less sugar hits shelves

Sugar in Kellogg’s Coco Pops, one of the best-selling cereals in Ireland and the UK, has been slashed by 40% (from 30 grams per 100g to 17 grams)*. This is following a reduction of 14% last year, meaning that from 2017 to 2018, Kellogg’s will have halved the sugar in Coco Pops.

The new recipe, on shelves now, includes a more premium cocoa powder and no artificial preservatives or sweeteners. Kellogg’s Coco Pops now has 30% less sugar than other chocolate flavoured cereals*. New Kellogg’s Coco Pops also has 10% less salt and 50% of an individual’s daily vitamin D needs.**

It’s proved to be a hit with kids; taste tests showed nearly 85% of kids loved the lower sugar recipe just as much as the old one***. This change in recipe is part of Kellogg’s Better Starts plan to overhaul its cereals and help families make healthier choices.

*(Source: Rounded to nearest 10%. Sugar has been reduced by 43% versus previous recipe in 2017. Kellogg’s Coco Pops has 30% less sugar on average than other chocolate flavoured toasted rice cereals. (IRI UK 2017).  www.cocopops.com)

**(Source: Coco Pops contains 50% of an individual’s daily vitamin D nutrient reference value)

***(Source: MMR Research Worldwide, March 2018, UK. Sample size: 117 children and 117 parents)

Raising vital funds for Childline

The Cheerios Breakfast Together Week will take place from 15 – 21 October 2018 to support the ISPCC Childline

Nestlé Cheerios is proud to continue its partnership with the ISPCC through the Cheerios Childline Breakfast which raises some much needed funds for Childline.

Cheerios Childline Breakfast is a fun charity breakfast which is hosted across the country to help support ISPCC Childline, the national listening service for children and young people in Ireland. Childline answers calls from children in need through its phone, text and online services. In 2017 there were over 350,000 calls to Childline.

Whether you are a business, organisation, or community group, Cheerios and the ISPCC would love for you to join in the fun. This year, the Cheerios Breakfast Together Week will take place from 15 – 21 October 2018. Register on www.childlinebreakfast.ie or call 1850 50 40 50 to receive your registration pack and portion packs of Less than 5% Sugar Oat Cheerios to help organise your charity breakfast. Alternatively, you can support this initiative by texting RISE to 50300 to make a €4 donation and help Childline keep listening to children.

*(ISPCC will receive a minimum of €3.60. Service provider: LikeCharity. Helpline: 076 6805278)

Don’t just do life, #Shred it!

Shredded Wheat is made with just one ingredient; wholegrain wheat

At Nestlé Cereals, the home of Cheerios, Shreddies and Shredded Wheat, the company understands that wholegrain is an important part of a varied, balanced diet. So wherever consumers see the green banner on packs, they can be sure the cereal contains at least 8 grams of wholegrain in each serving. One of Nestlé Cereals’ favourite brands packed full of wholegrain is Shredded Wheat.

At Shredded Wheat, the brand believes that with 100% wholegrain you won’t just ‘do’ life; you’ll #Shred it. The breakfast classic is made with just one natural ingredient; crisp, tasty wholegrain wheat. That’s right; there are no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives in the product, just wheat. This may lead you to believe that the product is not versatile but Nestlé Cereals encourages consumers to put their own spin on their bowl of Shredded Wheat. Fans can simply select their choice of milk, yoghurt or milk alternative and add their favourite toppings to make a tasty breakfast that will help them #Shred life. One of the brand’s favourite bowls is 40g of Shredded Wheat Bitesize with yoghurt and raspberries; what is yours?

Building up breakfast opportunities

The ‘Brunch build’ serves up a toasted brioche bun, Fully Cooked Sausage Pattie, spinach, cheese slice, poached egg and hollandaise sauce

The breakfast and brunch occasion has skyrocketed in recent years and this trend is not expected to slow down anytime soon. It is estimated that approximately one in eight breakfasts are now eaten out of home in Ireland, with individuals often choosing to get their breakfast fix on-the-go and often find themselves eating at their desk or availing of the facilities at their workplace canteen*.

Christine Keohane, marketing graduate, Kepak frozen division, explains this trend further. “Breakfast and brunch is no longer limited to the morning,” she says, “but has expanded across the entire day, with outlets now incorporating all-day breakfast dishes on their menus to satisfy ‘Breakfastarians’ – those who are looking for breakfast dishes throughout the day. There has similarly been the emergence of ‘Brunchfast’; a new meal that combines the best of a fast-food breakfast with the heartiness of brunch.”

Another option ideal for breakfast and ‘brunch’, the ‘Classic build’ includes the Breakfast Muffin, Fully Cooked Sausage Pattie, cheese slice and omelette

Kepak recently launched a tasty fully cooked Big Al’s Sausage Patty to assist retailers in tapping into the booming breakfast market. Made from fully cooked pork, flame-grilled for great taste and seasoned with sage, nutmeg and pepper for a tasty, authentic flavour, the Sausage Patty can be cooked from frozen in just 6-8 minutes in a combi-oven or alternatively in under a minute in the microwave.

As with all Kepak products, the Big Al’s Fully Cooked Sausage Pattie is extremely versatile and lends itself to various different builds – from a classic build to a more indulgent ‘brunchfast’ offering.

The ‘Classic build’ includes the Breakfast Muffin, Fully Cooked Sausage Pattie, cheese slice and omelette. The ‘Brunch build’ comprises a toasted brioche bun, Fully Cooked Sausage Pattie, spinach, cheese slice, poached egg and hollandaise sauce.

Whether you’re a long-time foodservice pro or just getting started, Kepak is confident it offers the hottest selection of handheld breakfast items that fuel morning sales and all-day ‘brunchfast’ cravings.

To discover more about Big Al’s food to go range from Kepak, visit www.kepakfoodservice.ie/foodtogo.

*(Source: Bord Bia, The Breakfast Club, 2016)

This is nut a drill

Innocent’s new dairy-free range is made from just three ingredients; it’s that simple

No stabilisers, no gums, no funny business; Innocent’s new dairy-free range contains just three* ingredients. “When it comes to dairy-free, you ain’t tasted nuttin’ yet” is the brand’s message for consumers.

The new range has launched in three recipes; Almond, Oat and Hazelnut. Tasty in tea, lovely in lattes and splendid on cereal, each one makes a great addition to everything from breakfast through to dinner. Alternatively, consumers can simply sip them on their own and discover that when it comes to dairy-free drinks, nature knows best.

The launch will be supported with a significant out-of-home (OOH) campaign, including the type of bespoke digital activity innocent Ireland is known for. Ambassador and influencer partnerships will take place as well.

The range is currently stocked by Dunnes Stores, Tesco, selected EuroSpar, selected Fresh and selected Donnybrook Fair stores.

*(Almond and Oat flavours are made from only three ingredients. Hazelnut has four, with a little rice for thickness. The Almond flavour contains roasted almonds, spring water and a pinch of sea salt. ‘Oat’ contains oats, spring water and sea salt, while Hazelnut includes roasted hazelnuts, spring water, rice and a pinch of sea salt.)

Taking Ireland by storm

Grenade Carb Killa spread is a guilt-free chocolate option made with 20% whey protein

Satisfy your sweet tooth at breakfast time with this protein-packed, low sugar, low calorie Carb Killa chocolate spread from Grenade, the leading active nutrition sports performance brand. Available in four flavours, these tasty, guilt-free chocolate spreads made with 20% whey protein are ideal for those looking to indulge but still maintain a healthy eating regime. The Carb Killa spreads contain 87% less sugar than traditional leading chocolate spread brands and can be smothered on top of your favourite breakfast foods including toast, waffles or bagles, or even eaten straight from the jar as a healthy treat. Best consumed as part of a calorie controlled diet or low carbohydrate/low sugar diet, Carb Killa spread is suitable for vegetarians.

For more information, visit www.grenade.com.

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