Dive Brief:
- Kellogg-owned brand Kashi has rebranded its ready-to-eat cereals and snacks from Kashi GoLean to Kashi Go to address a shift in consumer attitudes about health and wellness.
- Following market research on the evolution of its customer base, Kashi began introducing its new packaging design last month at select retail outlets nationwide. This month, Kashi Go is debuting Maple Brown Sugar Flakes & Clusters cereal and three nut-based bars, according to the release.
- The new Kashi Go cereal contains 10 grams of protein per serving from pumpkin seeds, lentils, peas and quinoa, while the bars have 12 grams of protein and 6 grams of sugar per serving. The bars will come in three varieties — peanuts and peanut butter, dark chocolate with almonds and sea salt, and dark chocolate and peanut butter.
Dive Insight:
Kashi seems to be rebranding its RTE cereal and snack bars with on-the-go millennials and Generation Z in mind. The name Kashi GoLean projects a different image than Kashi Go, with a corresponding shift from a focus on weight loss to one that's all about fueling an active lifestyle.
This is similar to the name and images Kellogg is associating with its new Off the Grid frozen waffle products, which seem to be targeting the same youthful demographic groups that spend more time being active outdoors. Another thing the cereal has in common with the new waffle line: the new Kashi packaging emphasizes the protein level in its cereal and snack bars — another asset designed to appeal to younger consumers.
Protein is big business, and Kellogg is working to lead the trend. In 2017, the company acquired Chicago Bar Company, which manufactures the RXBAR clean-label protein bars, for $600 million. A Euromonitor study found millennials are making an effort to increase their protein intake, with members of this demographic looking for alternative options that fit into their busy lifestyle.
Kashi Go is hardly the only brand to make a play for consumers with active lifestyles and a hankering for protein snacks. In 2017, thinkThin introduced thinkThin Protein Cakes with indulgent flavors reminiscent of dessert and 12 grams of protein per cake. It's also not the first brand turning away from a weight loss focus and toward more on-trend marketing approaches. SlimFast added cookies and chocolate bars to its lineup last year, with some containing as much as 15 grams of protein. And Atkins retooled its message to target sugar-focused consumers in 2017. But it has been hard for these brands to pivot into different categories and still gain market share.
By adding protein to its products and rebranding Kashi Go, Kellogg may also be able to boost cereal sales, a category which has flagged in recent years as shoppers look for more convenient breakfast options. To revive operations, Kashi adopted a three-year plan in 2015 to help stabilize business, attain moderate growth, become Non-GMO Project verified and drive more sales. These latest moves may be what's needed to stay on track — as well as gain and retain fans.