The breakfast cereal market - France (2025)

1.2 Steady global growth

Global sales of the breakfast cereals market will reach $**.** billion in ****, and are estimated to reach $**.** billion in ****. Industry experts anticipate a CAGR of *.*% for the period ****-****, to reach ** billion in ****.

Breakfast cereals market value World, ****-****, $ billion Source : The business research company Market trends :

Product innovation: Continued flavor innovation and the inclusion of organic ingredients are driving the market. Adoption of Western Food Models: A growing preference for Western food models is positively influencing demand. Product diversification: Breakfast cereals come in different varieties, offering a diversification of options.

Growth factors :

Changing breakfast habits: Changing breakfast eating habits are contributing to global growth in demand. Demographics of Emerging Economies: Changing demographics in emerging economies are a key driver of growing demand. Penetration of Distribution Channels: Growing demand in supermarkets, e-commerce and convenience stores is driving growth. Innovation opportunities: Growth opportunities lie in continued flavor innovation and the introduction of organic ingredients. Preference for Ready-to-Eat Products: The popularity of ready-to-eat cereals is contributing to market growth [***]

1.3 The French market has seen some growth in value terms in recent years

With estimated sales of ***.** million euros in ****, the cereals market is set to grow by *.*% in **** in value terms, but to fall by *.*% in volume terms [***]

Breakfast cereals market sales France, ****-***** CAGR (***): +*.*% CAGR (***): +*.*% Source: ****

According to the LSA Conso article and the graph below, chocolate cereals account for the bulk of the market, with ***.** M€ and a slight increase of *.*%. The value of mueslis has risen significantly (***), reflecting the growing popularity of this segment, which is often associated with healthier, more natural options. Prepared cereals also recorded strong growth of *.*%, reflecting growing interest in formats requiring preparation. On the other hand, fibers and cornflakes, although less dominant in value terms, suffered declines of *.*% and *.*% respectively, which may reflect a loss of interest in these traditional or less innovative categories.

Market share of non-diet cereal segments France, ****, in Source: ****

1.4 International trade: a slight rise in imports and exports

The code used for this section may include more than just breakfast cereals. This is code ****: Cereal products obtained by puffing or roasting (***), pre-cooked or otherwise prepared.

Foreign trade France, ****-****, in millions of US$ Source: ****

In ****, the French trade balance for code **** showed a deficit of **.* million euros. It should be noted that the coverage rate for this year remains close to **%, thus characterizing this sector with a low trade balance deficit.

The coverage rate (***)**** remains more or less stable over the period studied between **** and **** at around **%

Spain, Germany and Italy are among France's main trading partners, representing trade worth US$** million for Spain and US$** million for Italy and Germany respectively.

Main export destination countries France, **** in millions of US$ Source: ****

France imports most of its cereals from Belgium, Spain and Germany, which together account for **% of imports. Main countries of origin of imports France, ****, in millions of US$ Source: ****

2.1 Breakfast demand remains strong in France

The graph below shows the ranking of French people's favorite daily breakfasts. In first place, the classic breakfast is favored by **% of French people, combining toast with butter and/or jam, fresh fruit juice and a hot drink - a seemingly universal formula. In second place, at **%, the comforting breakfast includes pastries such as pains au chocolat, croissants or chouquettes, offering a gourmet option. The healthy breakfast, consisting solely of fruit, is chosen by **% of those surveyed, emphasizing a light, natural diet. at **%, the regressive breakfast, consisting of cereals served in a bowl of milk, recalls childhood flavors. Finally, the British breakfast, appreciated by **%, includes beans, eggs, cheese, sausages and bacon, a heartier, saltier option. This ranking shows a clear preference for simple, sweet options, although the other choices also have their fans.

Ranking of French breakfast preferences France, ****, in Source: ****

In France, certain groups seem to be particularly loyal to the breakfast habit. People aged ** and over are among the most assiduous, with **% of them never missing this meal. By comparison, only **% of **-** year-olds and **% of under-**s take it regularly. Men are also more likely to make this meal a priority, with **% eating it every morning, compared to ...

2.2 Cereal consumption habits vary widely according to consumer age

Cereal consumption among children in ****

In ****, the largest proportion of cereal consumers were children aged ** to **, who accounted for **.*%, with an average consumption of **.* g/d, while children aged * to ** represented **%, with an average consumption of **.* g/d.

Average distribution of daily consumption by place of consumption France, ****, in Source: ****

Overall, all age groups consume cereals for breakfast. Snacks are also in *nd place for the *-** and **-** age groups, while for the **-** age group, other snacks are in *nd place at *.*%.

Cereal consumption among adults

Consumption habits vary greatly depending on the age group in question. According to a study by Kantar Media, on average **% of French people start their day with a hot drink, although this figure drops to **% for **-** year-olds.

The **-** age group is the most likely to eat cereals, particularly in bar form, which they consume outside the home. Today, **% of the French population eat cereals during their first meal of the day, and **% take them with them in bar form.

2.3 Breakfast: Substitutable demand

With total sales of *.** billion euros and growth of *.*%, the ambient breakfast market is showing positive momentum, driven by several categories. Coffee dominates this segment with sales of *.** billion euros and growth of +*.*%, confirming its status as a morning staple. Sweet spreads, in second place with *.** billion euros, posted impressive growth of +**.*%, reflecting their growing popularity. Breakfast cereals, meanwhile, recorded sales of *** million euros and +*.*% growth, testifying to their anchoring in eating habits. Teas and infusions (***), underlining a renewed interest in these products. [***]

Breakfast market sales by product France, ****, million euros and % growth Source: ****

Strongest growth in breakfast value in **** France, ****, % growth Source: ****

2.4 Trend: organic and healthy products are growing exponentially

Health concerns shape new eating habits

French dietary trends France, ****, percentage Source: ****

The French are increasingly aiming for a healthy, balanced diet, for a variety of reasons (***). In fact, according to the graph above, **% of those questioned say that eating a healthy, balanced diet is a major concern, and **% would like to eat a balanced diet more often.

Concerns about breakfast cereals have increased due to their high sugar content and high degree of processing or treatment. Some French consumers no longer associate breakfast cereals with healthy products, and volume sales have therefore begun to decline, particularly those of children's breakfast cereals. In addition, the large supply of high-quality fresh bread may be perceived as an alternative by parents for their children's breakfast.

The Nutri-score, a tool for changing French consumption habits

In ****, a decree enabled the introduction of a Nutri-score code on product packaging. This Nutri-score informs consumers about the nutritional qualities of a product. Depending on the product, the Nutri-score can vary from A to E, A being the score where the product provides the most nutritional quality, and E being the score where the product provides the least nutritional quality. In France, by ****, **% of products will be labeled ...

2.5 France's favourite breakfast cereal brands

The graph below shows the favorite breakfast cereal brands of the French. The percentages represent the positive responses to the question"Do you like this brand?" for each cookie brand.

Kellogg's is the favorite cereal brand of the French, with almost **.*% saying they like it. Coco Pops is the least favorite cereal brand, with only **.*% of French people saying they like it.

French people's favorite breakfast cereal brands France, March ****, in Source: ****

The level of appreciation of cereal brands varies considerably according to the gender of respondents. As a general rule, women have a stronger preference for cereal brands than men. This is particularly true of Special K, with a gap of over ** points between men and women. Comparison of the level of appreciation of French people's favorite cereal brands by gender France, March ****, in Source: ****

The graph below shows that the level of appreciation of different cereal brands decreases with the age of respondents. There is, for example, a gap of over ** points in the rate of appreciation of the Coco Pops brand between respondents aged **-** and those over **. This significant difference can be explained by the fact that Chocapic, Miel Pops and Coco Pops are brands aimed at ...

3.1 Market value chain and distribution

How cereals are made :

Source: ****

Breakfast cereals are made from cereals, often wheat or rice, produced in France or imported from abroad.

The petals

After the first cooking, the petals are cooked again, in a circuit of hot air to remove all traces of moisture. Once cooled, they are flattened by cylinders, giving them their petal shape. Next, they are again placed in giant ovens for toasting, and finally, if required, they are coated with sugar, chocolate, honey, etc.

Soufflés

The beans are steamed whole, at a very high temperature (***), and then subjected to a partial vacuum, so that the air inside the beans pushes against the walls. They are then coated with various ingredients and dried by a stream of hot, dry air.

Bursting

This mainly concerns rice, which is steamed, dried and then laminated: the inner wall is destroyed, but the grains retain their original appearance. They are then toasted, which causes the grains to swell, after which they may be coated.

Extruded products

The manufacturing process is similar to that of puffed cereals, but before being subjected to a partial vacuum, the cereal is transformed into a paste (***).the advantage of this dough is that it can ...

3.2 Stable cereal production, but with an increase in organic production

Stable grain production

NAF code **.**B : "Other grain processing activities" includes the production of groats, meal or pellets, wheat or other cereals, as well as the production of husked, milled or processed rice.it also includes the production of husked, milled or processed rice, but above all the manufacture of puffed, roasted or otherwise processed cereals (***), which is why it's interesting to look at the figures for this activity.

Sales index - Other grain processing activities (***) France, **** - ****, Base *** in **** Source: ****

Number of employees and companies in the market :

The number of companies and employees shows little variation between **** and ****, highlighting the predominance of incumbent players who hold a significant share of the business.

Number of employees and companies for NAF code **.**B - Other grain processing activities France, **** - ****, in units Source: ****

Organic production on the rise in France

Agricultural area reserved for organic farming France, ****-****, in thousands of hectares and as a % of total agricultural area Source: ****

We can thus observe that the agricultural area reserved for organic farming in France is tending to expand, rising from *% to **.**% of the total cultivated area over the ****-**** period. However, there will be a slight drop in **** compared with ****. In ...

3.3 Main brands on the market

Breakdown of the breakfast cereals market by value France, ****, in percent Source: ****

Main brands of cereal bars and breakfast cookies France, ****, in millions of consumers Source: ****

The breakfast cereal market is dominated by * main players: Kellogg's with **% of market share in ****, followed by Nestlé with a quarter of market share. Two other players also stand out: Jordans and Quaker. between them, these * players accounted for three quarters of the market, leaving only a quarter for the multitude of "Other" brands.

However, it's possible that these shares will change somewhat, since in recent years, food industry players have been challenged by a multitude of ultra-specialized players - the "Others" in the previous chart. We're thinking in particular of organic cereal brands, with the rise of numerous organic and French brands on the market, which may be favored by the French who declare that they are increasingly changing their eating habits. These include brands such as Piboom, Bonneterre, Favrichon, Céréco, Bjorg and Snooze. The "Other" category also includes private labels, which are increasingly diversifying their offerings at more affordable prices.

Kellogg's and Nestlé are major groups with several cereal brands. Here is a listing of their breakfast cereal brands:

Kellogg's[***] :

All ...

4.1 Cereal composition and typology

Average cereal composition

Source: ****

The different cereals

We saw in *.* that there are different types of cereal: petals, puffs, bursts and extruded cereals. There are also mueslis and granolas. Mueslis are a mixture of uncooked cereals, mainly oat flakes, with fruit.mueslis are often eaten with milk and/or yoghurt; granolas, on the other hand, are cooked cereals, which add a crunchiness not found in mueslis.

Cereals for children and cereals for adults:

Marketing tends to separate two types of cereal, those for adults and those for children, even though each could consume cereals in the other's category. This separation is based more on "stereotyped" tastes. For adults, you'll find mueslis, oat mixes and simpler cereals such as petals, with dark chocolate or dried fruit, for example, which is what you'll find in Carrefour's"Adult Cereals" category. Cereals such as "Lion", "Trésor" and "Miel pops" can be found in the"Céréales enfants" section of the same chain.

Related product: cereal bars:

Cereal bars are cookies made mainly of agglomerated cereals in the form of a small bar that fits in the hand. There are a multitude of cereal bars, such as Kellogg's Special K bars. This sector has ...

4.2 Grain prices

In **** (***), consumer breakfast prices rose by *.**% in less than * year.

This increase is mainly attributed to the war in Ukraine, which has led to higher manufacturing costs for packaging, due to Ukraine's crucial role in European production. In addition, soaring energy costs and difficulties in sourcing raw materials led to a sharp rise in cardboard and plastic prices. In addition to packaging, the manufacture of the products themselves has become more expensive, with a significant rise in the price of wheat and sugar.

Consumer Price Index Breakfast cereals France, ****-October ****, Index base *** : **** Source: ****

In ****, the agricultural producer price index recorded a drop of around **.*% compared to ****, which had already recorded a **.*% decrease, with **** marking the start of a downward trend. This increase was mainly attributed to soaring grain prices, resulting in higher production costs which were passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. Monthly agricultural producer price index (***) - Cereals France, ****-**** (***), index base ***: **** Source: ****

4.3 Nutri-score: a major challenge for cereals, is organic a solution?

Nutri-score: a decisive factor

The availability of the Nutri-score in France, along with product comparison apps such as Yuka, is playing a further role in raising consumer awareness of the low nutritional value of breakfast cereals.

Most organic brands have adopted the Nutri-score, with scores between A and B for the most part; Nestlé has been using it since ****, as has Kellogg's, which started in ****, and yet most children's breakfast cereals have beenales for children's breakfast have a poor nutritional score (***), which has reinforced parents' negative perception that these products are too high in sugar and overly processed.

However, aware of the impact of this Nutri-score on customers' purchasing decisions and their willingness to change their eating habits, manufacturers are changing their recipes to better match demand:

Kellogg's wants to achieve Nutri-scores of A or B for all its products by ****[***]. in ****, **% of Jordans products will be rated A or B[***]. In ****, Nutri-score A and B represented only **% of cereal sales, but the sector is very dynamic, especially in the face of weak growth or even declines in cereals rated C, D or E, according to an analysis by NielsenIQ[***]. Nestlé is revising ** of its recipes to improve its Nutri-score. In ...

4.4 More trends and innovations to challenge the market

Protein-enriched cerealsGrowing demand for more nutritious, protein-rich breakfast options is transforming the cereal market. Brands like Catalina Crunch and Magic Spoon in America are innovating with protein-enriched products, appealing to nutrition-conscious consumers. Indeed, one in four consumers worldwide is influenced by protein claims when buying cereals, with particularly high rates in South Africa, Indonesia and Brazil. This trend is part of the search for satiating, energy-boosting alternatives, ideal for active people and protein dieters. [***]

Organic cerealsThe organic cereals segment continues to gain ground thanks to innovative brands that combine taste and naturalness. Hoope, which specializes in crispy spirulina mueslis, records annual volumes of over ***,*** units and is present in over *,*** points of sale. Funky Veggie, another organic player, relies on short, easy-to-understand ingredient lists to win over transparency-conscious consumers. From its beginnings in filled cereals and legume-based granolas in ****, the brand has expanded its range to include puffed rice and chocolate-covered petals. [***]

Eco-packaging:

Packaging is a factor that enables a brand to stand out from the crowd. In fact, eco-packaging helps to win over customers who are concerned about their waste production, especially as most cereals are packaged in a plastic bag that, a priori, cannot be recycled.

French organic cereal ...

5.1 Regulations

In France, breakfast cereals are governed by codes of good practice drawn up by professional organizations, notably the Syndicat des Céréales du Petit Déjeuner, a member of Alliance *. These codes aim to guarantee product quality and provide transparent information to consumers.

Legal sales name:

The code specifies that the sales name must be descriptive, indicating the type of cereal, a qualifier relating to texture and/or shape, and possibly the ingredients differentiating the varieties. For example: "Crispy corn petals with honey" or "Puffed wheat grains with chocolate". Generic names such as "ready-to-eat cereals" or "ready-to-prepare cereals" are also acceptable.

Product composition and quality:

Manufacturers are committed to meeting strict criteria concerning the composition of their products, particularly with regard to sugar, fiber, vitamin and mineral content. Efforts are also made to reduce salt and fat content, in order to offer healthier products to consumers.

labeling and consumer information:

The code of practice emphasizes the importance of clear, transparent labelling, enabling consumers to make informed choices. Nutritional information must be presented legibly, including energy value, macronutrient content (***) and the possible presence of allergens.

Food safety and traceability:

Companies belonging to the Syndicat des Céréales du Petit Déjeuner ...

5.2 Organic label and nutri-score

For a brand to obtain the Bio label on one of its products, it must meet the following conditions:

at least **% of the product's components come from organic farming in accordance with EU regulations; The product complies with the rules of the official inspection system; The product comes directly from the farmer or food processor in sealed packaging; The product bears the name of the producing farmer or food processor or distributor and the name or code of the inspection body.

Within the European Union, the first regulation concerning organic farming came into force in **** (***). The new EU organic logo came into force on February *, ****.

The Nutri-Score summarizes a product's nutritional value in a single letter - from A (***).

This overall score includes positive parameters such as fiber, protein, fruit and nuts, as well as negative parameters such as kilocalories, saturated fatty acids, sugar and salt.

At a time when breakfast cereals are accused of containing elements that are too sweet for children, the signals sent by this score can prove decisive in the act of purchase.

In ****, the criteria for calculating the Nutri-Score remain similar, but the scoring rules have been revised to enable even more accurate comparisons between products. ...

6.1 Segmentation

• Kellogg’s
• Bjorg (Ecotone)
• Jordans
• Nestlé Groupe
• Quaker Oats Company (Pepsico Group)
• Chabrior (ITM Intermarché)
• General Mills
• Grillon d'Or
• Joseph Favrichon
• La Vie Claire
• Terres et Cereales (Céréceco)
• Verival
• Dailycer
• Céréco
• Céréaliste
• Cereal House
• Allo Petit Déjeuner - Food & Co