10.13.10
The resurgence of oats as an ingredient in the food industry has continued in recent years, driven by their healthy image as a high-energy, wholegrain and heart-benefit food. Despite ongoing industry initiatives resulting in a wider use of oats in a whole range of bakery and cereal lines, including cereal bars, biscuits, cakes and even crumble toppings for desserts, breakfast cereals continue to be the key area of focus, accounting for nearly 40% of the 1600-plus global launches of bakery and cereal products containing oats recorded on the Innova database in the first six months of 2010.
More than 1360 breakfast cereals launches were recorded by Innova Market Insights in the January to June 2010 period, and nearly 45% contained oats, although this covered all types of cereals using oats as a significant component, not just oat cereals. Cereal bars followed relatively closely behind, with over 40% of launches recorded containing oats, while at the other end of the scale, just 6% of bread launches contained oats, although this was up from less than 5% five years previously.
Innova Market Insights’ head of research, LuAnn Williams, reports that the appeal of oats appears to be growing unimpeded and giving impetus to a relatively mature breakfast cereals market. “As the healthy image of oats has developed further in the wake of research about controlled energy release on top of growing awareness of the link between oats, cholesterol levels and heart health, the potential for further development seems considerable,” she said. “The additional benefit of a natural image has helped oats still further and aided the rising levels of demand in other sectors of the bakery and cereals market, including bread, biscuits, cereal bars and snacks, and ongoing high levels of activity in these and other product sectors seems inevitable.”
The health benefits of oats have traditionally been associated with the hot cereals/porridge/oatmeal market, which has been moving forward via more convenient formats in recent years, including single-serve sachets and ready-to-heat pots, and via the use of value-added ingredients such as fruit and nuts. Prepared porridge in single-serve cups is already an established market in the U.S., where brands like Kozy Shack’s Ready Grains offer an even more convenient ready-to-eat product that can be consumed either hot or cold.
Innova Market Insights report a rising interest in cold oat-based cereals in the U.K., as they are generally perceived as more convenient to eat and more suitable for year-round consumption, and as a result many companies are now offering both hot and cold variants.
