Weetabix targets healthy sector with oat alternative

Weetabix is gearing up for a major assault on the healthy cereal market with the launch of Oatibix. It is understood that the oat biscuit product will be the company’s most significant launch this year.

Weetabix is gearing up for a major assault on the healthy cereal market with the launch of Oatibix. It is understood that the oat biscuit product will be the company’s most significant launch this year.

Oatibix, which is expected to launch in the late summer, will be aimed at health conscious consumers who are looking for alternatives to traditional oat cereals, such as porridge. The cereal is reputed to taste and look like Weetabix.

One industry insider says that the range is “super healthy” and is a key part of Weetabix’s strategy to build on the healthy credentials of its products. It has already relaunched its Ready Brek porridge range to highlight its health benefits, and has also added prebiotics to its Weetaflakes range.

Oatibix is expected to receive significant marketing spend to promote the launch, which is likely to include TV. Last week, the company launched a &£5.5m advertising campaign that aims to inspire consumers to eat Weetabix with a wider variety of toppings.

The Weetabix Week campaign, which is the first work to be developed by recently appointed advertising agency WCRS, has been filmed in a documentary style and shows different consumers, such as a family and a group of students, eating the cereal in different ways, over a week.

Weetabix is the top-selling cereal brand in the UK, although Kellogg dominates the rest of the market with a 40% value share.