brands direct natur cereal

Own-label supplier to the mults Brands Direct is launching its first branded cereal - an organic muesli in a resealable tube format.

The organic Natur will be launched exclusively with Waitrose at the end of this month in Mixed Berry and Cranberry & Nut variants, with plans to roll out to other supermarkets towards the end of this year (rsp: £3.50/500g).

Brands Direct, a supplier of a wide variety of own-label products to all the major grocery retailers, from RTE cereal to rice and sports nutrition to craft ales, said it had spotted an opportunity to add “much-needed value” back into the hard hit cereal category by tapping demand for “simpler, less processed, quality food” among millennials and health-conscious consumers.

“Given the importance of a healthy breakfast, organic cereal surprisingly remains an underdeveloped area,” account director Tony Fosh told The Grocer, adding the brand would not be in “direct competition” with the own-label cereals Brands Direct supplies (which do not include muesli) because those products were “standard breakfast cereals and not organic”.

Packed in “convenient space-saving” resealable tubes made from recycled card featuring an ‘Organic without compromise’ strap, the duo would stand out on shelf, he said, predicting the range would clock up in excess of £1m in its first year, rising to £3m over two years.

An organic granola is set to launch in early 2017 and the business is considering refill packs for the future, added Fosh.