American families no longer appear to be gathering around the breakfast table, munching on Frosted Flakes and drinking orange juice. Only 35% of Americans eat that sort of traditional breakfast seven days a week, according to a recent study by CivicScience, a consumer analytics platform. Some 21% said they eat breakfast four to six times a week, and 20% said they eat breakfast one to three mornings days a week.
What’s more, Kellogg Co. K, +0.22%, which invented Corn Flakes, and makes a range of other cereals including Frosted Flakes and Special K, plans to separate into two publicly traded companies in the fourth quarter of this year. Although Kellogg’s started primarily as a cereal company, some 60% of its 2022 sales came from snacks, such as Pringles, Cheez-It crackers, Pop-Tarts and Rice Krispies Treats.
Time-poor consumers — whether on a hybrid or full-time back-to-the-office work schedule — are more likely to grab an energy bar or buy a breakfast sandwich on the way to the office. “The leading trend is always the same — convenience,” said Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute’s chief agricultural economist. “People want minimal preparation and zero cleanup.”
We also live in a more health-conscious world than did previous generations. Many traditional breakfast cereals contain refined sugar, and, unlike the sugar found in fruits and milk, may lack protein, fiber, fat and other nutrients. A 1½-cup serving of Corn Flakes has 4 grams of added sugar, plus 300 milligrams of sodium.
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