Dawn delights

The breakfast market has evolved with new products available to enliven the most important meal of the day. Fionnuala Carolan reports

Brand Central

18 August 2021

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Breakfast tends to be associated with healthy food choices as most people enjoy a good start to the day. While the full Irish is still very much a popular choice it has evolved in recent times with more healthy alternatives due to the launch of various meat free options ensuring that even if you are vegetarian or vegan you don’t have to miss out on this Irish staple. Not only are meat-free products on the rise but there is also a focus on biodegradable and plant- based packaging such as Lyons tea teabags and Kellogg is launching world first technology on their packaging to assist the visually impaired. All of these brands are responding to the demand for more ethical products so that consumers can have a healthy and a feel-good start to their day.

World-first technology for blind

Kellogg has announced that following a successful trial, new world-first technology will be permanently added to all of its cereal boxes in Ireland to make them accessible to blind and partially sighted people.

Important information on food packaging, such as allergen details can often be in print that’s difficult for blind or partially sighted people to read. The new boxes will allow a smartphone to easily detect a unique on-pack code and playback labelling information to the shopper with sight loss.

The company will change all its cereal packaging, beginning in 2022 with the first accessible boxes of Special K appearing on shelf in January. Unlike other types of printed codes, the new technology, called NaviLens, includes high contrasting coloured squares on a black background. Users do not need to know exactly where the code is located to scan it.

It allows smartphones (using the free NaviLens app) to pick up the on-pack code from up to three metres distance when a blind or partially sighted shopper points their device in the direction of the cereal box. This then alerts the phone and the shopper can choose to have the ingredients, allergen and recycling information read aloud to them – as well as reading it on their device using accessibility tools.

Kellogg is also getting personal with a new on-pack promotion, offering consumers the chance to create their own personalised cereal box sleeve*. To become the star of their own cereal box, shoppers can simply pick up two promotional packs of Coco Pops, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes and W.K Kellogg by Kids and enter the unique code inside into www.kelloggs.com/personalisedsleeves and create their own personalised cereal box cover. Consumers can then choose from their favourite cereal, a selection of fun facts like favourite colour, hobbies and more that best describe them or their loved one to really bring the personalisation to life. Finally, they can upload a great picture that will be proudly displayed on the breakfast table.

The promotion is open from 19 July until 28 November and will make the perfect memento to mark back to school or college, or a new routine.

*(UK, ROI, & MT only. 18+ only. From 19.07.21 to 28.11.21. Personalised Box Cover recipients must be aged 6+ (18+ for Crunchy Nut). For T&Cs see back of pack)

Roll with it

The Cuisine de France Breakfast Sausage Roll is a mix of black pudding, tomato relish and seasoned pork wrapped in puff pastry

Cuisine de France is delighted to announce that it has developed and launched a new product to the hot food category. The Breakfast Sausage Roll is an innovative savoury snack that takes the classic sausage roll but provides those familiar flavours consumers want for breakfast. Consisting of a flavourful mix of black pudding, tomato relish and seasoned pork lightly blended together and wrapped up in a light flaky puff pastry this is a must try.

Retailers can further tailor their hot food offering to accommodate the breakfast time rush. Each roll comes with its own packaging, allowing the product to be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. These products are also produced in Ireland which also follows consumers’ patterns of wanting to support local.

The alternative full Irish

As experts in meat for 200 years, Denny has always been at the forefront of recognizing emerging trends in the industry and re-imagining products to cater for the needs of their customers across the country. 2020 saw Denny embrace the opportunity to expand its range with one of the most significant innovation launches for the brand in recent years, its Meat Free range. The range originally consisted of chilled sausages, burgers and mince, but this year Denny have expanded into frozen sausages and burgers, as well as launching Meat Free Pudding and Bacon to complete the Denny Meat Free breakfast offering.

The Denny Meat Free range has been developed using soya protein, coconut oil and Denny signature seasoning

The Denny Meat Free range has been developed using soya protein, coconut oil and the famous Henry Denny signature seasoning, ensuring that the products deliver on the great taste of Denny. The products are also high in fibre and a source of protein. Despite being new in the meat free space, Denny is a category leader and the fastest growing meat free brand in Ireland**. The Denny Meat Free range is available nationwide. Prices range from €2.50 – €3.50 (RRP)

*(Source: Euromonitor ROI – 2019-2020).

**(Source: Dunnhumby ROI data up to 29/10/2020)

Ireland’s favourite porridge

With more than three million portions of Flahavan’s porridge oats consumed each week here in Ireland, the Waterford-based family food business continues to maintain its position as Ireland’s favourite porridge brand. Indeed its market leadership position in the hot oats category (56% value market share*) is a testament to the trust it has built up among its loyal consumer base.

Flahavan’s recently launched two new No Added Sugar Granolas to its range – Raisin, Cashew & Almond and Strawberry & Almond

Traditional porridge remains at the heart of the company’s business in Ireland, with Progress Oatlets and Organic Porridge Oats continuing to perform extremely well through the first half of the year as many consumers continued to work from home and spend more time around the breakfast table. There is an expectation that some of these positive habits around making time for healthy family meals will continue as restrictions ease.

Flahavan’s recently launched two new No Added Sugar Granolas to its range – Raisin, Cashew & Almond and Strawberry & Almond. Launched nationwide in June 2021, the two new variants broaden the brand’s portfolio of cold cereals including indulgent granolas and no added sugar mueslis, offering more variety in a sector of the category that is experiencing significant growth.

*(Source: Kantar Market Data, 52 Weeks to 27 December 2020)

Towards sustainabili-tea

Lyons Tea is introducing plant-based and biodegradable teabags to its foodservice range and will complete the transition to a fully plant-based range by summer 2021

Lyons Tea has announced that its full product range will be plant-based and biodegradable by the end of this summer. Not only was it the first in Ireland to introduce plant-based and biodegradable teabags to its retail range last year, Lyons Tea is now the first major black tea brand in Ireland to roll out plant-based teabags in all its foodservice boxes. As part of its commitment to ‘sustainabili-tea’, Lyons Tea is switching its tea bags to plant-based and biodegradable to help foodservice operators, suppliers and consumers make better choices for a greener planet.

Lyons Tea is now the first major black tea brand in Ireland to roll out plant-based teabags in all its foodservice boxes

Lyons Tea distributes approximately 150 million teabags annually in its foodservice range in Ireland. By making the switch to plant based and biodegradable teabags for its foodservice range, Lyons Tea will be saving six tonnes of non-biodegradable plastic every year*. That is the equivalent of the weight of an elephant.

Foodservice operators and suppliers across Ireland can now purchase Lyons Tea plant-based and biodegradable teabags in 500s and 600s boxes. Since May, Lyons Tea introduced plant-based and biodegradable teabags to its envelopes and string and tag products, completing the transition to a fully plant-based range. Unlike alternative black teabags that contain small amounts of plastic which cannot be composted, Lyons Tea’s plant-based and biodegradable teabags can be disposed of into a brown (food waste) bin and composted to biodegrade back into nature.

For more information visit www.lyonstea.ie, Lyons Tea on Facebook or @lyons_tea on Twitter and @lyons.tea on Instagram.

*(Source: Unilever based on 2019 sales)

Slimmed down breakfast

Unislim Gorge Us has launched two frozen fruit products Gorge Us Tropical Fruit Mix and Gorge Us Breakfast Berry Mix

Unislim is Ireland’s family run leading slimming and healthy lifestyle club offering 50k members a personalised and effective weight loss plan, which encourages them to make healthier food choices. Unislim has been championing this healthy approach since 1972! So it is no surprise that Unislim Gorge Us has launched two frozen fruit products Gorge Us Tropical Fruit Mix (320g) and Gorge Us Breakfast Berry Mix (320g). Unislim Gorge Us frozen fruit range retains its important vitamins and nutrients and it’s the perfect addition to any breakfast. A sumptuous mix of the best tropical fruit, melon, mango, pineapple, papaya and kiwi or a simpler mix of strawberries and juicy blueberries in the Breakfast Berry Mix.

Unislim Gorge Us Frozen Fruit packs can be found on the shelves of SuperValu, Centra and select Dunnes Stores.

Award-winning taste

A chance encounter at the Blas na hÉireann awards in Dingle has led to Velo Coffee Roasters, a Cork-based coffee roastery, securing a listing with Tesco Ireland. The company, founded in 2017 by Rob Horgan, will supply nine coffee products to select* Tesco stores across Ireland from 26 July. It has been an exciting journey for the Irish roastery which has seen interest in its brand grow in leaps and bounds over the past several months.

Velo’s award-winning coffee has Four Blas na hÉireann Food Awards, including a Gold and two Great Taste stars, proud accolades for everyone involved in the company.

A plant-based Wunda!

Made from yellow split peas, Wunda has a neutral, refreshing taste that makes it a great alternative and versatile choice for people who want a plant-based drink that tastes closer to dairy. Wunda is ‘epic in everything’ that you would otherwise use milk for; it is delicious drank on its own, poured on cereal, used in hot beverages, frothed, cooked and much more. Not only does Wunda taste great, it is also nutritious and sustainably produced and has been certified as carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust.

Wunda was initially developed as part of Nestlé’s R&D Accelerator initiative. Working with a start-up mind-set, Nestlé’s cross-functional innovation team was created and scaled-up this versatile drink in only six months. Following the global launch last month, the Wunda range will be rolling out into Irish stores, starting with Tesco from 22 July. It will be available in two variants: Original and Unsweetened.

*(Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass. Enjoy as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle)

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