Joyfull Millets launches in the UK
Tata Consumer Products GB has made a significant step forward with the company’s programme to transition to a premier FMCG moving into the competitive £2.61 billion* world of breakfast cereals with a new type of breakfast cereal, Joyfull Millets. It is the first major launch the international business has made into a new category in the UK outside hot and cold beverages.
Available initially through the UK supermarket giant Tesco, three variants of Joyfull Millet Crunchy Muesli are available: Fruit & Nut; Honey & Nut; and Choco & Nut, a flavour co-developed with Tesco.
A fourth flavour Fruit, Nut & Seeds is also included in the range, which benefits from no added sugar.
Joyfull Millets have evolved from the successful Tata Soulfull range which is achieving significant success in the Indian market. Soulfull’s founder Prashant Parameswaran has worked closely with the innovation and brand teams in the UK to create a range of mueslis which retain the natural goodness of the millet ancient grain with a modern twist for Western markets. The real attraction of the new cereals comes in the eating and the experience of taste, texture, and sound. The cereals have an impressive and pleasing crunch, long after the choice of milk or dairy has been poured over.
Millets are not common in the UK but are believed to have great growth potential. New, trending ingredients are a great way to stimulate sales and interest. The business anticipates the same for millets which are benefiting from the 2023 UN Year of the Millet.
The declaration by The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations to make 2023 the International Year of The Millet is promoting the health benefits of millet and the sustainable benefits of cultivation.
“Tata Consumer is all about Better Living and Joyfull Millets fits really well with this philosophy,” says Chief Marketing Officer for Tata Consumer Sinead McAleese.
“From our experience in premium tea, we know true taste aficionados are continuing to seek affordable indulgences which fit with desires for tasty nutritional foods and products with planet kind credentials.”
In addition to their high nutritional benefits, millets can grow in conditions that many other crops can’t tolerate. They are heat tolerant and need significantly less water than other grains - 400 litres of rainwater for 1kg of millets; compared to 4,000 litres of ground water for 1kg of rice for instance - which means that they can be grown in hot drought areas, bringing income to farmers struggling against poverty.
Being carbon-rich a millet crop is also good for soil health, another plus for farmers farming in difficult environmental conditions.
The new cereals are being produced in India by Tata’s subsidiary Tata Soulfull and the launch is being supported by a full PR, digital, influencer and social media campaign alongside widespread sampling, with over 500k samples to be distributed to raise awareness of mighty millets and the Joyfull Millet muesli range.