Kellogg’s takes Crunchy Nut back home

IT’S not exactly selling ice to Eskimos, nor tea to China, but it’s pretty close.

Cereal giant Kellogg’s has launched one of its most popular British products, Crunchy Nut cornflakes, in its home market, the US.

After three decades of success here, Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut brand is its second biggest selling in the UK and worth £94m, was launched in Hollywood this week.
 
Kellogg’s, which has its global HQ in Battle Creek, Michigan, has its UK sales and marketing headquarters in Manchester and a factory at Trafford Park.

It is not widely known that Crunchy Nut, which was launched in 1980 as Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, was created and manufactured at the Trafford Park.

When it was launched sales were more than double than expected, and since then the brand has grown steadily to become Kellogg’s second biggest selling cereal, second only to Special K.
 
In 2009 it had its biggest year ever increasing in sales by 27% and the brand now has a 6.3% share of the total cereal market in the UK.
 
Peter Harrison, marketing director at Kellogg’s UK, said: “Crunchy Nut has been an amazing success story since its launch over 30 years ago. British shoppers have stayed loyal throughout this time as at the end of the day it just tastes great. We are really proud that a cereal born and bred in the North West of England has finally come of age and is set to take on America.”
 
Kellogg’s, which is making Crunchy Nut for the US market at one of its existing facilities there, has invested heavily in a high profile marketing and PR campaign.
 
A major PR stunt involved Kellogg’s building the world’s largest Cuckoo Clock (measuring more than 66-feet tall and 28-feet wide) in Los Angeles, while Crunchy Nut’s new celebrity face is Mariah Carey’s husband, comedian and host of America’s Got Talent, Nick Cannon.