Quaker is hoping to elevate on-the-go pot porridge to the mainstream with Oat So Simple Pots.

The PepsiCo brand is pitting the new pots, which just require the addition of hot water to prepare, against ready-made options from foodservice players such as of Pret A Manger and instant porridge pots from the likes of Marks & Spencer, Grace and Grasshopper.

It said it had spent a year developing bespoke oat flakes for the new line of portable pots (rsp: 99p), which roll out in the new year. Available in Original, Golden Syrup and Apple & Blueberry flavours, the pots contain skimmed milk powder, because keeping the porridge "creamy" was key, said Quaker brand manager Ian Pate.

At 99p per pot, the NPD provides a considerably pricier breakfast when compared to a single serving of Oat So Simple, which costs £1.99 for 10 single serve sachets, but Pate said the pots would compete primarily with other on-the-go breakfast options such as rival pot porridges and general morning goods rather than instant or standard porridge options.

"The hot cereal category is growing at 13%, compared with flat growth in ready-to-eat cereals, but, for some, speed and convenience remain barriers," said Quaker marketing director Hayley Stringfellow.

The pots, which had been designed to remove these barriers, would be a more attractive option to such consumers than instant sachets, which though convenient required the addition of milk as well as the use of a bowl.

A multimillion-pound campaign will support the launch next year.