The Forgotten Meal: Breakfast makes a comeback

Since childhood many of us have been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, however according to a Kelloggs UK study a staggering 11 million people in the UK miss their morning meal.

Not only does this deprive the body of key nutrients and energy for the rest of the day, skipping breakfast could lead to many health complications including diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity.

As the emphasis on a healthy lifestyle becomes increasingly more pertinent, many brands try to tackle this breakfast hurdle. Companies such as Cuckoo Foods, MOMA!, Be Fast and Stoats are starting a breakfast revolution with healthy ‘on-the-go’ alternatives that require little to no preparation time, whilst still being packed with vitamins in exciting and new imaginative flavours. We take a look at the brands at the centre of this growing trend.

Manic mornings: overcoming time limitations

The recent economic downturn has meant that people are working longer hours, have higher stress levels and less leisure time. Mixed in with trying to manage a manic morning, it seems that our first meal of the day has simply been forgotten as other priorities take centre stage. The solution from many food brands appears to be a healthy and portable ‘on-the-go’ product.

Scottish food manufacturers Stoats have done just that and are pioneers in the porridge world with a simple idea – to bring porridge to the people. Starting in 2005, the company trailed summer music events in the ‘Stoats Porridge Bar’ to serve fresh porridge to festival go-ers, before revolutionising the traditional oat recipe into the world’s first porridge snack bar.

Stoats marketing manager, Jessica Dennison, explains the porridge transformation: "We started out serving fresh porridge before moving into porridge-based products to fit in with people’s busy lifestyles. So all the benefits of eating a bowl of porridge but on-the-go."

UK-based company Cuckoo Foods, has also incorporated the wholegrain superfood into their handy breakfast pots to promote their healthy ‘fast-paced’ Modern Muesli. Co-founder Lucy Wright and Anna Mackenzie explain their aim: "We thought the on-the-go breakfast and snack sector needed a fresh new brand which was as much a treat for the taste-buds as it was for your body.

"Bircher muesli is a classic Swiss breakfast dish and we were keen to give it a fun, young and modern twist with recipes reflecting our taste for bold, interesting flavours, designed to be eaten at any time."

The breakfast boom: catering to the ‘on-the-go’ market

It is evident that inventive new flavours and bold packaging have sent the ‘on-the-go’ market soaring. Cuckoo Foods have released their Modern Muesli in flavours such as Mango & Coconut and Apple & Cinnamon Spice, whilst the MOMA! brand have created their muesli and porridge pots in flavours like wild berry and strawberry & banana. The MOMA! mission is clear as they state "MOMA is about a good, honest, healthy breakfast that tastes delicious and is genuinely good for you."

Seeing that the breakfast market holds unlimited potential, food manufacturers Lacka Foods set about making a new drinks based product aptly called ‘Be Fast’. Lacka Foods customer services manager, Zoe Austin says: "Be Fast is the most convenient healthy breakfast product available for today’s busy lifestyles. We listened to consumers who wanted a healthy and easy breakfast, consumers want something that will fill them up until lunchtime and cereal bars just don’t cut the mustard."

The change in attitudes towards breakfast has sparked an array of products, with many young professionals and busy parents opting for the easy alternatives. Austin recognised this in her product which boasts over 6g of fibre in each bottle. "We have identified two target markets, firstly young males aged between 15 and 25, a lot of these guys wake up late and need to get out of the house fast, or some just aren’t organised enough to have all of the stuff at home to be able to make a healthy breakfast. Secondly busy mums, they are often too concerned with getting everyone in the house out of the door on time, they neglect themselves, Be Fast is perfect for them."

It slowly seems that the forgotten morning meal is making a comeback in a revolutionary way. With new trends, flavours and ingredients constantly emerging, the breakfast resurrection continues to entice consumers through its intriguing innovations.

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