LAKEVILLE, MINN. — Post Consumer Brands, a business unit of Post Holdings, Inc., has selected Brandgenuity as the exclusive licensing agency for its Post Honey Bunches of Oats cereal brand. The partnership paves the way for Brandgenuity to extend the Honey Bunches of Oats brand into snack bars, bread, muffins, cookies, on-the-go snacks, frozen and shelf stable breakfast items, ice cream and more, the company said.
“We selected Brandgenuity for their strategic thinking and expertise in the complexities of food licensing,” said Leah Broeders, head of licensing at Post Consumer Brands. “And what a perfect time to be extending this brand. Oats and oat-based products are in high demand, and growing millennial families love this brand.”
Honey Bunches of Oats was introduced in 1989 after three years of development. The cereal features three kinds of flakes and oat clusters baked with a hint of honey. Two varieties of Honey Bunches of Oats — Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds and Honey Bunches of Oats Honey Roasted — were recognized recently by Post as the company’s second and third most popular cereals of 2023. Other varieties in the Honey Bunches of Oats portfolio include maple and pecans, cinnamon bunches, with real strawberries, vanilla and frosted bunches.
Honey Bunches of Oats generated dollar sales of $428.53 million in the 52 weeks ended Nov. 5, 2023, according to Circana, a Chicago-based market research firm. The total ranks the brand fifth among ready-to-eat cereal brands, trailing only Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cheerios and Frosted Flakes, according to Circana.
Post said Honey Bunches of Oats already is used outside of the RTE cereal occasion as a snack, a topper and in baking, which means “extension possibilities abound.”
“We are so excited to work on this iconic brand,” said Jay Asher, partner at Brandgenuity. “Food licensing is exploding, and unique, distinctive flavors are a key to success. This brand is beloved by kids and adults and is a favorite among Hispanic consumers as well. There is a lot to build on here.”
In addition to Honey Bunches of Oats, Brandgenuity has a licensing deal with Mike’s Hot Honey as well as numerous consumer packaged goods companies.