Kellogg’s vows to keep Frosties brand

Kellogg’s has insisted there are no plans to axe its 60-year-old Frosties brand or Tony the Tiger mascot despite the cereal range experiencing a slump in sales in recent years following a shift towards healthier eating.

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Cereal maker moves to dispel rumours the future of the 60-year-old brand is under threat following a sales slump.

Sales of the brand, known for its Tony the Tiger mascot, have plummeted in recent years as health-conscious parents stop buying sugary products for their children. Volume sales of the cereal fell 18.3 per cent for the year to October 2012, while value sales dropped 6.6 per cent to £29m, according to Nielsen.

The company has been reluctant to spend money on persuading people to purchase a product which is 37 per cent sugar and has not run any traditional advertising for the brand since a £1.1m TV campaign in 2010.

Kellogg’s has focused increasingly on brands such as All Bran and Special K as well as product extensions into nascent snacking categories such as breakfast biscuits and crisps in recent years.

A spokeswoman says: “There are no plans to get rid of Frosties or Tony the Tiger. The brand is still very much a part of Kellogg’s and its heritage. However times and trends change and the reality is Frosties is no longer a big brand for us which is why we don’t support it as much as we have in the past. We are focussing on brands which are in line with what consumers want at the moment such as All Bran, Special K and better for you kids’ cereals.”

The announcement comes just weeks after shadow health secretary Andy Burnham, criticised cereal makers, calling on sugar content to be limited at 30 per cent.

Kellogg’s launched a lower sugar Frosties alternative in 2004. However the range was axed shortly after due to poor sales.

The cereal maker is set to revamp the recipe for its Special K range for the first time in 30 years this June as part of a £5m marketing strategy to revive sales of its biggest brand. Sales for the cereal brand fell 15.1 per cent to £103.5m for the 52 weeks to 13 October.

Last week, Kellogg’s launched three new low sugar cereals, allowing it to advertise on day-time TV.

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