Quaker shifts away from cereal with Jamba Juice partnership

Quaker has developed an easy-to-blend oats ‘boost’ shot that can be mixed into Jamba Juice smoothies in store. The oats provide a full serving of whole grains.

The shift away from the breakfast cereal aisle comes under a wider strategy Quaker has on increasing the accessibility of oats, senior director of communications for Quaker Foods North America Candace Mueller-Medina said.

It also plays into PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi's strategy to boost the Quaker brand​ and overcome the challenge of attracting consumers increasingly concerned about convenience - something the breakfast cereal often misses out on being placed in the center of the store.

Mueller-Medina told BakeryandSnacks.com that the shift into a new segment through the Jamba Juice partnership would prove lucrative for Quaker.

“As the leader in oats we’re always look at ways to make them more accessible through our innovations,"​ she said.

More innovations under partnership to come…​

Quaker’s oats boost is the first product developed under the partnership, but Mueller-Medina said there would be more innovations to come.

“While we can’t detail specific products or timing right now, we look forward to working together to provide even more easy and delicious options for people seeing healthy, on-the-go snacks and meals,”​ she said.

Asked if Quaker could succeed beyond the morning breakfast occasion, Mueller-Medina said that the brand was absolutely well placed to feature in a variety of eating occasions in and out of the home.

“We’ve seen some good momentum over recent quarters and are focusing on driving innovation that excites consumers and gives them access to more of the convenient foods we know they’re looking for,”​ she said.

Quaker Real Medleys - portable, premium oats launched earlier this year - have proved successful, she said. Overall, 2013 has been an exciting year for Quaker from a snack innovation perspective too, she added, with Quaker Crispy Cookies, Quaker Big Chewy Granola Bars and Quaker Real Medleys bars launched.