Produced by the Swiss firm’s cereals division, the Shreddies Peanut Butter flavour and Shredded Wheat Happy Heart and Active products are hitting UK shelves this month.
Through these new cereal varieties, Nestlé is actively targeting the growing demand for healthier, functional food products from an increasingly health-conscious British consumer base.
Accordingly, the manufacturer says Shreddies Peanut Butter will be high in fibre and iron and will also contain five vitamins.
Shredded Wheat’s new Happy Heart and Active varieties contain added minerals and vitamins designed to support healthy ageing, according to Nestlé.
Happy Heart has been designed to help consumers looking to support their heart health and includes high fibre content and vitamin B1, while being low in saturated fat and salt. The cereal is topped with raspberry and nuts.
Active, topped with pumpkin seeds and nuts, has been developed to support muscle and bone health and contains calcium and vitamin D. It is high in fibre and low in salt.
Healthy ageing drives demand
This latest foray into functional cereals by Nestlé mirrors a growing public focus on healthy ageing and longevity, with data from research partner Lumina Intelligence highlighting it as the second most important global health goal behind sleep among consumers worldwide.
Behind healthy ageing and sleep, the leading global health concerns were achieving a healthier weight, improving immunity, and supporting mood and mental health.
As a result, Lumina’s research suggests that 83% of consumers worldwide now purchase foods with added benefits, illustrating strong demand for functional ingredients.
Vitamins are the most commonly purchased functional ingredient, followed by fibre and minerals, all of which form key parts of Nestlé’s health claims for its three new cereal products.
Speaking to Food Manufacture on on the importance of healthy ageing as a benefit of functional foods, Levercliff senior consumer insights manager Clair Prior said: “Awareness of the importance of healthy ageing has clearly been growing in the UK, perhaps driven by the increasing focus of the Government and media on healthy life expectancy and social care as the population ages and the gap between life expectancy and living well increases.
“The latest Levercliff tracking survey found that just over 70% of UK consumers are at least slightly interested in food and drink products that support healthy ageing (with 36% moderately or very interested).”
She continued: “However, this does not mean that food and drink brands should start to label their products as suitable for healthy ageing as this is too vague a term. The latest Levercliff consumer tracking survey highlights that 41% of consumers have made changes to their lifestyle to improve their health and a further 29% would like too. However, consumers have different health priorities depending on their age e.g. a priority for is 18-34yr olds is fitness/muscle development vs weight loss/maintaining healthy weight for over 34yr olds.
“These priorities drive product choice so products supporting physical energy appeal more to the younger consumers, those supporting sleep to 34-54yrs olds and heart health products for the over 55 year olds. Brands and own label need to be more specific on the actual functional benefit delivered in their call outs on front of pack, and then perhaps back of back explaining how this contributes to healthy ageing or in other marketing communications.”
The launch coincides with Shredded Wheat’s 100th anniversary of manufacturing in the UK. Both brands are produced at Nestlé’s cereals factory in Staverton, Wiltshire.
Shreddies Peanut Butter is available from 12 August, while Shredded Wheat Happy Heart and Active will be available from 24 August.
