Breakfast isn't just the most important meal of the day right now; it's also one of the hottest spaces for food companies looking to expand their product lines.
Consumers are looking for quick, on-the-go morning options, and everyone from Kellogg to Taco Bell is looking to help them out. A recent Goldman Sachs report found traditional breakfast item sales to be down 1.3% from a year earlier in the U.S.. Meanwhile, portable-breakfast product sales were up 2.6%.
So what's new in the breakfast world in 2013? The answer is a lot quick options and surprise players. Take a look:
1. MOUNTAIN DEW KICKSTART
Company: PepsiCo Inc.
Marketed as a breakfast drink, Mountain Dew introduced Kickstart at the beginning of the year. Technically, it’s a “juice drink,” but it really tries to be many things to many drinkers. Kickstart keeps its caffeine levels low enough to avoid being called an energy drink, and since it contains 5% juice, it doesn’t qualify as a soda either.
2. THE CRONUT
Company: Dominique Ansel Bakery
Created by Dominique Ansel for his namesake bakery, the cronut has already been copied by bakeries around the U.S. Can it really be long before a fast food giant or frozen food developer tries to get in on the action? Stay tuned.
(Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
3. MAMA WALKER'S BREAKFAST LIQUEURS
Company: Pernod Ricard USA
Booze for breakfast or brunch isn't necessarily uncommon, but Mama Walker's decided to carve out a new niche in cocktail ingredients with these breakfast-inspired flavors. Blueberry pancakes, maple bacon and glazed donuts now show up it the the brand's liqueur catalog. At 70 proof, they'll certainly make their presence known wherever they show up.
(Image credit: Facebook)
4. KELLOGG’S TO GO BREAKFAST SHAKES
Company: Kellogg Company
Kellogg’s has been looking for cereal alternatives to please consumers with tight morning schedules. The company's new To Go shakes come in three different flavors—chocolate, strawberry and vanilla— and all of them are packed with enough protein and fiber to make someone feel like they just downed a full meal.
(Image credit: Kellogg Company)
5. KELLOGG'S SPECIAL K NOURISH (WITH QUINOA)
Company: Kellogg Company
Cereal still has its fans, but Kellogg's prioritized quick preparation with its new hot cereal launch for the Special K brand. Moreover, Nourish cereals embraced quinoa, which you are likely to see in many more breakfast bar and cereal launches before the year is over.
(Image credit: Kellogg Company)
6. THE WAFFLE TACO
Company: Taco Bell
As far as breakfast headlines go, no one has made more waves this year than Taco Bell. The Yum! Brands-owned chain's new breakfast taco features a waffle shell with scrambled eggs, sausage and a side of syrup. It's hard to tell whether or not this will be the new Egg McMuffin for Americans, but the concept alone was enough to grab the nation's attention.
Who knows? Perhaps by this time next year frozen food aisles will be stocked with a new neighbor for breakfast burritos.
(Image credit: Taco Bell)
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