'Today, 75–80% of Kellanova’s media spend is allocated to non-traditional channels'

Indian consumers’ breakfast preferences have evolved over the years, moving from traditional corn flakes to multigrain and millet-based muesli. Leading this shift is Kellanova, whose flagship brand, Kellogg’s, has centered its strategy on convenience, health, and flavor, continuously adapting its portfolio to match changing dietary trends.

Vinay Subramanyam, Marketing Director, Kellanova South Asia, shared insights into the brand’s approach toward innovation, consumer engagement, and media strategy. He elaborated on the rationale behind their latest launches, including the newly introduced Multigrain Plus Corn Flakes, the growing role of digital-first media, and the strategic integration of AI in marketing campaigns. He shares how Kellanova is navigating the dynamic Indian breakfast market while staying true to its promise of taste, health, and accessibility.

Edited excerpts:

How big is the breakfast and health-focused food category in India? How fast is it growing?

Breakfast is still a relatively small category compared to legacy segments like biscuits or salted snacks. That said, it reaches about 40% of urban households. The market has become more competitive, which is healthy and helps grow the category. Consumers are increasingly time-pressed and looking for convenient, nutritious breakfast options, and that combination bodes well for this segment.

Looking at your portfolio, with products like multigrain Corn Flakes, no-sugar muesli, and health-specific granolas, how are these health-focused offerings performing compared to your overall range?

Kellanova structures its portfolio into four primary categories, each catering to different consumer needs and tastes. The first is Chocos, a cereal loved by children across the country for its taste and fun appeal. The second is Corn Flakes, the brand’s legacy category, a staple in Indian households for decades and forms the backbone of the company’s identity. Third is muesli, a category that Kellanova has been actively building over the past 15 years, which has gained traction among health-conscious consumers seeking nutritional diversity. Finally, the oats segment catering to those looking for convenient yet wholesome breakfast options.

 Across all these categories, Kellanova is witnessing a significant shift: while taste and flavors remain important, there is a growing emphasis on enhancing nutritional content and ingredient quality. An example is Chocos, traditionally a single-grain cereal, now in a multigrain variant. The new recipe, launched last year, combines wheat, jowar, rice, and corn, and is enriched with protein and high in fiber. Consumers responded positively, as the taste remained consistent with the classic Chocos they love, while the nutritional profile improved considerably.

 This innovation addresses a broader consumer insight: as Indian families become increasingly time-pressed, they often rely on a single staple for their meals. Similarly, muesli, which has always been multigrain and includes nuts, seeds, and fruits, has seen robust growth in recent years, reflecting the increasing demand for wholesome, nutrient-rich breakfasts.

Though Corn Flakes is a classic favorite, we added multiple grains to it, resulting in the launch of Kellogg’s Multigrain Plus Corn Flakes. This new product combines five different grains, offering consumers a convenient way to enjoy nutritional diversity without compromising the taste they already love. The idea and experience behind this transformation reflect the brand’s focus on reimagining classic products to meet modern consumer needs, providing both familiarity and enhanced health benefits. We aim to stay ahead of the curve, offering products that meet evolving demands without compromising on taste or affordability

Many MNC and FMCG players often ‘Indianize’ their products to suit local tastes. What has been your approach?

We have actively embraced Indianization in our products, tailoring them to local tastes and ingredients. India is the only country in the global Kellanova system that incorporates millets into its offerings. Chocos contains millets, muesli includes millets, and the new Multigrain Plus Corn Flakes features ragi. Even 30 years ago, when Chocos (Coco Pops) was launched in India, the brand adapted its recipe to use wheat, the dominant grain locally, instead of rice, which is used elsewhere in the world.

By consistently using regionally relevant grains, nuts, and seeds, Kellanova ensures its products resonate with Indian consumers. While the brand has not ventured into savory flavors like masala, it has successfully Indianized several flavors and product nuances, preserving the core essence developed a century ago while integrating local tastes, a balance the company takes pride in.

How has your media and channel mix evolved over the past couple of years?

Over the past two years, Kellanova’s media strategy has undergone a significant transformation. With the rise of quick commerce and CTV, coupled with more people spending time on their phones rather than traditional TV, the brand has shifted from conventional media to a largely digital-focused approach. Today, approximately 75– 80% of media spend is allocated to non-traditional channels. This strategic pivot has been paying off, with spontaneous awareness scores improving steadily, reflecting the effectiveness of the shift toward a more digital heavy media mix.

We have expanded into a wide array of digital commerce channels, alongside continued investment in traditional digital platforms, such as Google and Meta. We have experimented with innovative partnerships, like a recent campaign on Spotify for the Muesli range, which performed exceptionally well. Overall, Kellanova has embraced a digital-first media strategy, a pivot that began two years ago and is now fully integrated into the marketing approach.

How do you balance performance marketing with brand-building initiatives?

I would like to think that every piece, every rupee that we put on brand building is meant to perform. That's my simple answer. I never felt that brand building doesn't perform. If you do it right, it should perform. It's just that there’s a fair amount of balance that we build on, making sure that we do enough top-of-the-funnel work as much as bottom-of-the-funnel. I don't think it comes at the cost of expensive top-of-funnel initiatives.

Are you planning to increase your overall media budget, or reallocating within the same budget to use it more efficiently?

 A lot of the transformation so far has been about reallocation. For any marketer, there’s always some flexibility in reviewing spends, identifying what’s truly working and what’s not, and redirecting resources accordingly. Every year, we diligently examine every penny spent on media and strategically put non-working media back into channels that deliver better results. This continuous process ensures that our media investments are optimized for maximum impact.

As revenue continues to grow, organizations must find the right balance in deciding which levers to invest in. As an FMCG company, we are deeply committed to staying ahead of the curve when it comes to consumer engagement. Our A-to-S ratios are quite healthy compared to many larger organizations, reflecting our focus on category building. Since we operate in a still-fledgling category, there are many more consumers to bring into the fold. Therefore, it’s crucial for us to continuously raise the bar and invest in expanding the category, ensuring sustained growth and deeper consumer reach.

How are you leveraging AI in your business?

We’ve been leveraging AI quite extensively, especially in content creation, but also in developing customized advertising solutions for our trade partners. Beyond that, we are exploring multiple ways to achieve high-quality output at speed. Our agencies have been actively using AI, and we’ve partnered with those who have strong expertise in this area. For the Multigrain Cornflakes film, our agency created the animatics using AI, a process that would typically take three weeks was completed in just two days. These kinds of applications really make a significant difference in efficiency and execution.

How do you see the role of AI evolving within marketing, particularly in areas like media planning?

The possibilities with AI are truly endless. In fact, I have a scope document that outlines nearly 45 different use cases where AI can be applied. However, it’s equally important to ensure that every implementation is done responsibly and in full compliance with ethical and legal standards. AI comes with its own set of gray areas around intellectual property, accuracy, and privacy. While we’re fully committed to leveraging AI, our focus remains on doing it the right way ensuring that every use is 100% clean, transparent, and compliant.

What kind of new innovations or product developments can we expect from the brand?

One of our key launches was the Millet Muesli, which has performed exceptionally well and become a major growth driver. Building on that success, we recently rolled out a Chocolate Millet Muesli, which has just entered the market. Additionally, we launched a new product called Chocos Caramel Fills two months ago, an offering that we’re particularly proud of. These launches reflect our continued focus on innovation.

What have been the key factors or segments driving overall growth for Kellogg’s in the past year?

 Last year we transformed Chocos into Multigrain Chocos, an innovation right at the core of our portfolio. It’s the core that drives growth even more than innovation alone. This transformation made a significant difference to Chocos and, consequently, to the overall business. From a longer-term perspective, our Muesli range has also been performing exceptionally well, continuing to strengthen its position as a key growth category for us.

What key consumer trends are you observing in the breakfast category?

There are several emerging trends shaping the breakfast category right now. Consumers are increasingly leaning toward products that are high in fiber, rich in protein, and offer alternatives to sugar or even completely no-sugar options. We’re actively working on each of these fronts, developing products that address these evolving needs. We have offerings that are high in fiber, contain protein, have no added sugar, and are completely free of unnecessary additives. On one hand, consumers are seeking products that broadly support overall wellness, while on the other, they’re also demanding very specific health solutions like no sugar or gluten. This balance between generalist and specialist needs is defining the new direction of the breakfast segment.

Do you see the breakfast cereal category expanding beyond urban households into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets?

 Our sweet spot lies with families who are pressed for time, especially common in metros and the top 300 towns in India. Beyond these areas, the demand for convenient breakfast options is less pronounced. It’s not that we don’t sell in other regions but the majority of our consumers come from time-constrained households, where our products serve as a convenient, robust option. In this context, the challenge is less about affordability and more about fitting into the daily routines of the families we serve.

As a marketer, what would you say are your top three focus areas as you look ahead?

Product, Consumer, Product.