For more than a decade, H. & J. Br眉ggen KG of L眉beck, Germany has been committed to continuously improving the nutritional profile of almost all of its breakfast cereals by increasing their whole grain content. (The only exception is oat flakes, which already consist of 100% whole grain with no added sugar or salt.) This effort has been particularly important for products aimed at children following a voluntary commitment by the German food industry to enhance the health profile of commonly consumed products.
Development and positioning
A central pillar of Br眉ggen鈥檚 strategy has been the gradual, step-by-step substitution of refined grains with whole grain variants as well as the reduction of added sugar and salt. These changes were implemented by many small, incremental adjustments over time. The objective was to slowly adapt consumer taste expectations and acceptance so that changes were nearly imperceptible in terms of
sensory experience. Under former German Minister of Food and Agriculture Julia Kl枚ckner (2018鈥�21),
the breakfast cereal industry committed to reducing sugar content in children鈥檚 products by 20% by 2025. Br眉ggen aligned its reformulation efforts with these objectives, focusing specifically on products sold through the food retail sector in Germany. In doing so, Br眉ggen positioned itself as an early and active contributor to the voluntary reformulation framework.
Results
Since 2012, Br眉ggen has significantly increased the use of whole grain in its retail breakfast cereal portfolio. In 2024, these products contained an average of 45% whole grain ingredients, reflecting a seven-fold increase in children鈥檚 products compared to 10 years prior. At the same time, added sugar and salt content in
