At the beginning of 2020, nobody could have predicted a reversal of fortune for breakfast cereal makers.
Years of tepid sales quickly reversed with a COVID-19 pandemic that forced consumers into new work-at-home and eat-at-home routines. This certainly helped boost packaged breakfast food sales.
Though many Americans returned to the home breakfast routine, product launches were muted in 2020. Per the Innova Database of new products, cold cereal launches dipped 6.6% and hot cereal launches fell 11.2% during the first 11 months of 2020, versus the same period in 2019. Cereal and energy bar introductions also were flat.