Staying up to date with trends is a struggle many brands run into, especially in today’s society when fads become popular for only short periods of time. It’s necessary that companies weigh the importance of certain fads and know when to alter something in their brand. One of the more recent fads or trends has been healthy lifestyle, more specifically, eating healthy and avoiding specific food groups. In a previous blog post, I wrote about how Chipotle created menu items for those who are on certain diets. Food manufacturer General Mills is another example of what brands should do to alter their products for consumers’ enjoyment and lifestyle.
General Mills has previously been known for their cereals and processed foods, however, consumers have begun to avoid these types of foods. Because of this, General Mills products needed reevaluation in order to maintain their business and reputation. One of the ways they have been, and are continuing to do that, is to ensure that their well-known, healthy brands are getting the publicity they need, as well as working with other healthy brands.
General Mills product Yoplait previously was a large contender for General Mills until the yogurt brand Chobani hit store shelves. Chobani is known for Greek yogurt, which is believed to have more health benefits than normal yogurt as well as a thicker consistency, which attracted a large following. In 2017, Fortune reported that Yoplait’s sales dropped 23% during the year. While Yoplait attempted to create their own play on Greek yogurt, it wasn’t a success. With more brainstorming the company decided to pursue a route closer to its roots: French yogurt. This new line, called “Oui,” is sold in the jars that it is made in and is aesthetically pleasing. “Oui” is growing popularity among consumers and is helping Yoplait return to their old standings in the rankings of consumer yogurt.
Though they are aiming to become known by a healthier name, consumers still enjoy General Mills products with high sugar content. Jeff Harmening, chief executive of General Mills, told the Star Tribune, “‘Our growth is in [the products] that taste really good,’” after their sales rose 4% in March. This goes to show that while brands can follow trends and build a new reputation, sometimes sticking with the classics can be beneficial in the long run.
McDonald’s is an excellent example of this. In 2018, the FDA required certain restaurants to share calorie information for customers to view. When this was announced, many discussed how this would hinder McDonald’s business. However, since 2018, their sales have risen. Restaurant Business wrote, “McDonald’s U.S. same-store sales rose 2.3% in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, the company said Wednesday, as the burger giant continued its relatively steady performance in recent years.” The takeaway from this is that if a consumer wants something, they will buy it.
While General Mills continues to make strides to become an overall healthy brand, it is necessary to understand that if consumers are still purchasing the less healthy products, they should not rule out the promotion of those products. Like McDonald’s, if a brand is well-known for something they produce and is well-liked by the public, it is essential to stick to those strengths.