Smaller Players Can Be More Nimble Than Larger Competitors

​How Post Pulled Off a Six-Month Cereal Launch

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Over beers one day last summer, a Post Foods cereal exec was chatting with a vendor about an idea: Why not mix Greek yogurt with breakfast cereal? Just a few months later, Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch was unleashed across America.

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The story of how Post converted the concept into a promising product launch is a lesson in how food marketers must move quickly in an age of changing consumer tastes and rising retailer clout. Quite simply, when Target and Walmart say they are interested in your product pitch — and they are reserving shelf space for it — you better make it happen, and fast.

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That’s what Post experienced in August when it presented the cereal concept to the two retailers. They were so impressed that they wanted it on shelves by January to capitalize on the Greek-yogurt trend. Advertising Age – Read more…