Breakfast Is the New Frontier for CPG Innovation

- Elana Iaciofano

Morning food is getting a major makeover.

Breakfast has emerged as one of the most dynamic innovation zones in the CPG landscape.
Shifts in consumer habits, heightened focus on wellness, and a craving for convenience have turned the morning meal into a canvas for experimentation and an opportunity for growth for CPG companies.

A Category Reawakened

With more people working from home or adopting flexible schedules post-pandemic, breakfast has moved from a rushed necessity to a daily ritual consumers are eager to personalize, enhance, and optimize.

Add to this the rise of functional foods, growing demand for clean-label ingredients, and a desire for flavor exploration, and it becomes clear: the traditional cereal aisle is no longer enough.

Trends Driving the Breakfast Boom

Consumers want more from their first meal, giving rise to notable trends across the category. A few trends exhibiting tenacity right now include:

1. Functional Nutrition

Consumers want breakfast with benefits: energy, focus, satiety, and gut support. Brands like Taika (adaptogenic lattes) and MUSH (probiotic-rich oats) lead the charge by embedding function into formats people already know and love.

2. Protein Priorities

Breakfast has become the protein anchor of the day. Brands like Farm Rich are turning familiar formats into high-performance food without sacrificing taste. Smith Design recently worked with both brands to capture innovations in breakfast. Farm Rich’s High Protein Cinnamon French Toast Sticks, Loaded Hash Brown Bites, Bacon Breakfast Roll Ups, and Sausage Stuffed Biscuits offer the delight and familiarity of indulgent breakfast foods in a portable format that packs a protein punch. Smith created the logo for Farm Rich, redesigned the packaging, and shot the food photography.

3. Plant-Based

With demand for plant-forward meals increasing, breakfast is an ideal entry point. PB2’s Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix combines the benefits of added protein that’s all plant-based. Smith Design worked with PB2 on the label design and food photography for this innovative morning mix.

4. Snackification of the Morning Meal

Today’s breakfast might be eaten in the car, at a desk, or mid-Zoom. This shift has opened doors for portable, resealable, microwaveable formats. Smith Design leveled up the package design and photography for Eggland’s Best Sous Vide Egg Bites, which go from frozen to fabulous in minutes and are easy to bring on the go.

The Breakfast Opportunity

For CPG brands, breakfast offers a unique intersection of habit, health, and hedonism. It’s a chance to build brand loyalty in a new category through daily rituals, capture self-space in multiple grocery aisles, and drive category disruption without the need to educate consumers from scratch about their brand.