Quaker cooks up microwave

Cereal manufacturer Quaker Oats is launching two microwaveable hot cereals into a market which Tesco and Sainsbury’s abandoned earlier this year.

The company is introducing Hot Oat Crunch, backed by a 1m advertising campaign through Young & Rubicam next month, and Quick & Hearty, a cereal sold in individual sachets, that is available in the US as Quick ‘n’ Hearty. A further Y&R campaign will break for the brand in January.

The hot cereal market was a low-activity sector, split between traditional products such as Weetabix’s Ready Brek and Quaker Oats, until the launch of Kellogg’s Hot Krumbly in January, the first ready-to-eat hot cereal.

Retailers Tesco and Sainsbury’s brought out their own versions last year but both have since been axed.

Quaker Oats commercial director Jeff Cowell says: “The hot cereal market is growing. The cold weather last year helped, together with new product launches and advertising from all the major players.”