Weetabix seeks to clean up image of kids’ chocolate variant

12-Mar-2013 - Last updated on 12-Mar-2013 at 12:03 GMT

Re-launch ties in Weetabix chocolate with 'Fuel for Big Days' marketing campaign

Weetabix has invested in a re-launch of its Weetabix chocolate variant in a bid to better communicate its positive health credentials, its brand manager says.

The cereal firm has re-named its product ‘Weetabix with Chocolate’ (previously Chocolate Weetabix) and pumped £1.8m ($26.8m) into a cross-channel marketing campaign across the UK for the re-launch.

“We want to communicate that Weetabix with Chocolate is Weetabix fuel with the added taste of chocolate, making it an ideal option for mums looking for a chocolate cereal,” Ben Cooper, group brand manager at Weetabix said.

“This new re-launch aligns the product with the brand’s ‘Fuel for Big Days’ campaign to confirm the product is Weetabix first and foremost,” Cooper added.

The original ‘Chocolate Weetabix’ was launched in the UK in July 2010; positioned as a solution for parents struggling to get children to eat healthy breakfasts.

Weetabix – the healthy chocolate option?

A spokesperson for Weetabix told BakeryandSnacks.com that its chocolate variety offers families a chocolate whole grain cereal that is a “healthier option than many other chocolate cereal choices”.

Citing figures calculated in November 2012, she said that Weetabix with Chocolate contained the lowest average value of sugar compared to other chocolate cereals on the market.

She said with 17.9g of sugar per 100g compared to an average of 31.01g the Weetabix product had around 40% less sugar than the average chocolate flavored cereal.

“It’s also important to remember that Weetabix Chocolate comes with built-in portion control,” she said, referencing the biscuit form of the cereal.

Taste twist

Along with the re-name, the chocolate variant has also been reformulated to include a vanilla taste.

“Consumer research indicated our customers wanted a slightly different taste. We’re constantly developing our products and talking to customers about ways we can improve… After testing out a variety of recipes we found that the winning flavor combination was chocolate with the added taste sensation of vanilla flavors,” the spokesperson said.