‘Snackification’ of India’s breakfast foods

Time-pressed lifestyles coupled with easy availability of snacks is fuelling snacking frequency among Indian consumers. Mintel research highlights that one in five Indians snack three times a day or more. With an increasing number of consumers snacking multiple times a day and disregarding set mealtimes, the line between snack and breakfast foods is likely to be blurred. This trend is further fuelled as consumers are confined to their homes during the lockdown.

With snack categories bolstering their better-for-you (BFY) proposition and also eyeing the morning occasion, brands specialising in breakfast will have to compete across categories. This trend also presents an opportunity for breakfast brands to tap into the snacking occasion by innovating and offering convenient, portable and indulgent options. This is opening up the breakfast occasion for adjacent categories in ready-to-eat, portable formats such as breakfast biscuits, yogurts and breakfast drinks. In fact, according to Mintel research, Indian consumers agree that beverages, biscuits and yogurts are a suitable option for breakfast.

Positioning breakfast options as snacks

During the lockdown, the tendency to snack at home has increased. For breakfast brands to protect their turf, it is important to reinforce the notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and consumers should refrain from skipping it.

As snack categories target the breakfast occasion, breakfast brands, of the back of their better-for-you proposition, can address all-day snacking occasions. Format innovations such as filled cereals and bite-size minis can help cereals achieve snackable indulgence. For example, Jumbo Snax is Kellogg’s classic cereal brands reimagined into snack packs and offered in a jumbo-sized format.

Creative Snacks Co Honey Pecan Granola Clusters, USA
This bite-size, soft-baked snacking granola is made by hand and claims to be free from anything artificial. The kosher certified product is said to be perfect at any time of the day.

Kellogg’s Corn Pops Caramel Crunch Jumbo Snax Cereal, USA
This cereal is described as yummy, crispy, crunchy and perfect for snacking. The naturally flavoured product is said to have the goodness of wholesome grains and contains no high fructose corn syrup. The snack pouches are also recommended for on-the-go activities such as lunchtime, game time and drive time.

What we think

Breakfast brands can leverage this category-blurring snackification opportunity by expanding the scope of breakfast products beyond the morning occasion and repositioning their offerings as all-day snacks or as suitable for any meal. Format innovations such as filled cereals and bite-size minis can help cereals achieve snackable indulgence.

To access the full Breakfast Food report or for more exclusive insight on the Indian consumer landscape, and to discover the latest trends and innovations to shake up the marketplace, reach us at infoindia@mintel.com.