Alpen Granola seeds

Weetabix has extended muesli brand Alpen into the booming granola market.

Alpen Oat Granola is being rolled out this week in three variants - blueberries, cranberries & raspberries; raisins, almonds & hazelnut; and linseeds, pumpkin & sunflower seeds (rsp: £2.99).

The trio, which contains wholegrain and is high in fibre, would appeal to consumers who liked the idea of granola but didn’t perceive the product as healthy enough to be an everyday breakfast, said senior brand manager Alex Murphy.

“Our new range is inspired by the wholesomeness the Alpen brand is synonymous with, and offers consumers a healthier option they can have every day,” said Murphy.

The launch comes hot on the heels of a major push into the granola category by Quaker Oats. The PepsiCo-owned brand launched three new ranges earlier this month, having previously only had a single granola product.

The NPD comes as overall granola sales are up 20% by value and volume in a breakfast cereals market down 6.3% by value and 3.5% by volume [IRI 52 w/e 25 April 2015].