Trends
Once upon a time, breakfast was a necessity rather than a culinary experience. It was designed to fuel you ahead of a long day at work or school and would usually be centred around a bowl of cereal, sweet pastries or a hearty cooked breakfast.

Fast-forward 10 years and breakfast has developed somewhat. It’s not just a meal for the morning. All-day breakfasts and brunch have become social dining experiences, and ‘cereal cafes’ are popping up across the world. Cereals have become something of an indulgent evening snack, with people pairing fancy granola with gelato. In contrast, whilst traditional breakfast items are being eaten throughout the day, non-breakfast foods are being consumed first thing in the morning, such as pizzas and pot noodles.

With busy lifestyles, people across the globe are consuming cereal products on the move and stepping away from big boxes of cereal – instead, they’re choosing bars, shakes and smoothie bowls. Take-away bircher muesli pots and luxury granola with fruit and yoghurt are convenient options. Personalisation is on the rise – people like to build their own bagel, choose superfoods to go into their smoothie, or garnishes for their smashed avocado on toast.

The cereal market is growing in Asia-Pacific countries, with wonderful creations being brought to supermarket shelves, such as oats with savoury flavour profiles like sweet potato. In the USA, the free-from market is thriving, which is reflected in breakfast choices – dairy-free shakes, gluten-free pastries and meat-free bacon atop a stack of pancakes.

Health and nutrition are important in the breakfast market. Seeds, fruits and nuts are popular toppings for cereals – sprinkled on overnight oats or protein-packed pancakes – as they provide natural sources of energy.

Challenges
Competition is heating up in the breakfast market, which is why NPD teams are under pressure to innovate, creating new products and flavours. Consumers want clean label breakfast items with ingredients that will bring health benefits, as well as reduced sugar – particularly in children’s cereals. With visual appeal high on the agenda for many meals, breakfast items must look good and deliver on taste, too.
Solutions
As a world leader in freeze-dried fruits for the cereal market, Chaucer understands your needs. Our skilled and innovative R&D experts will collaborate with your NPD team to develop new products, sourcing the ideal ingredients. By freeze-drying fruits, we lock in authentic flavour, vibrant colour and nutrients – with no added sugar, additives or preservatives. Our R&D experts can blend flavours to create something unique that will stand out from the crowd – the potential is limitless.

We can also deliver sweet baked products, which make ideal toppings and inclusions for classic cereals or on-the-go-bars, for example. Our team will collaborate with you to find a solution which adds real value.

Explore our range of freeze-dried fruit, pulses, vegetables, and herbs
Why not get creative with our unique sweet baked inclusions, snacks and toppings?