For more than a decade, H. & J. Brüggen KG of Lübeck, Germany has been com-
mitted to continuously improving the nutritional profile of almost all of its breakfast
cereals by increasing their whole grain content. (The only exception is oat flakes,
which already consist of 100% whole grain with no added sugar or salt.) This
effort has been particularly important for products aimed at children following a
voluntary commitment by the German food industry to enhance the health profile
of commonly consumed products.

Development & positioning

A central pillar of Brüggen’s strategy has been the gradual, step-by-step substitu-
tion of refined grains with whole grain variants as well as the reduction of added
sugar and salt. These changes were implemented by many small, incremental
adjustments over time. The objective was to slowly adapt consumer taste expec-
tations and acceptance so that changes were nearly imperceptible in terms of
sensory experience.

Under former German Minister of Food and Agriculture Julia Klöckner (2018–21),
the breakfast cereal industry committed to reducing sugar content in children’s
products by 20% by 2025. Brüggen aligned its reformulation efforts with these
objectives, focusing specifically on products sold through the food retail sector in
Germany. In doing so, Brüggen positioned itself as an early and active contribu-
tor to the voluntary reformulation framework.

Results

Since 2012, Brüggen has significantly increased the use of whole grain in its retail
breakfast cereal portfolio. In 2024, these products contained an average of 45%
whole grain ingredients, reflecting a seven-fold increase in children’s products
compared to 10 years prior. At the same time, added sugar and salt content in children’s breakfast cereals have been reduced immensely. The reformulation
approach simultaneously addressed whole grain enrichment and added sugar
and salt reduction – all contributing to an improved nutritional profile across the
entire product range.