Kellanova, formerly known as Kellogg’s, is sharpening its focus on India’s breakfast and snacking market by betting on scale, expanding high-growth categories like muesli, chocos, and cornflakes, and steering clear of slower bets such as localised upma.
With traditional Indian breakfasts like dosa, poha, and upma gaining traction, Kellanova had earlier experimented with an upma variant that drew positive response. However, the company shelved it in favour of faster-growing product lines. “It was really a prioritisation behind what we saw as much faster-growing segments in muesli,” said Prashant Peres, Managing Director of Kellanova India and South Asia.
The ₹4,000 crore ready-to-eat breakfast segment has become intensely competitive, with MTR, ID Fresh, Marico, and PepsiCo pushing oats and wholegrain-based formats. Startups offering localized, health-focused products at steep discounts have also crowded the space.
Despite this, Kellanova reported a strong start to 2025 with double-digit growth, bouncing back from last year’s sluggish performance. Its strategy remains rooted in leveraging scale through multiple factories and its established distribution presence. “The challenge is more for others who are coming in to grab a 3–7% share,” Peres noted.
The company also called for accountability in the influencer ecosystem, highlighting concerns over unregulated voices critiquing packaged foods while simultaneously running their own ventures.
Globally, Kellanova is awaiting final regulatory clearance for its planned merger with Mars’ snacking division, which has already secured approval from 27 of 28 regulators.