Cereals as supplements
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
As is the case with NutraJoint, several cereals are repositioning themselves as supplements to take advantage of structure/function claims. In March, New Morning introduced GingkO's, an "herbal dietary supplement" promoted "for sharp thinking" on the principal display panel. An 8 oz. box of the gingko-enriched oats retails for $4.29-$4.39 and will be available at health food stores nationwide, including the Wild Oats and Whole Foods chains. To support the product, the East Brunswick, N.J.-based company says it will run aggressive in-store sampling and provide local distributors with a marketing allowance. The five-employee shop entered the cereal-supplement category in September with a slightly less expensive ginseng cereal. Demand for the ginseng cereal has been brisk, and the company is filling orders on a first-come-first-served basis, New Morning says. Eugene, Ore.-based Golden Temple Bakery also began marketing four 11.5 oz. herbal cereals in September: Raspberry Ginger Crisp with echinacea and elderberry (also referred to on the package as "Guardian"), Vanilla Almond Crisp with ginkgo and gotu kola ("Brain Power"), Cinnamon Apple Crisp with ginseng and fo-ti ("Energy") and Maple Raisin Crisp with ginger and fennel ("Digest Ease"). Both companies plan line extensions this fall...