Burger King has begun selling oatmeal, joining other quick-service chains such as McDonald’s, Starbucks and Chick-fil-A, as part of the company’s strategy to update the brand's menu and image.
The Miami-based burger chain sells Quaker-brand oatmeal for $1.99 from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
“At a time when so many families are looking for better-for-you meal offerings on the go, Quaker’s partnership with Burger King provides a flavorful, whole-grain choice when eating outside the home,” Margery Schelling, global innovation officer for PepsiCo Foodservice, parent to The Quaker Oats Company, said.
Burger King’s oatmeal comes in Original and Fruit Topped Maple flavors. The fruit-topped version features dried fruit, including cranberries, raisins, cherries and blueberries.
“BKC is committed to offering Burger King guests quality, great-tasting food, beginning with breakfast," Leo Leon, vice president of Burger King Global Innovation, said.
During conference calls this year, Burger King executives told analysts that the company would introduce new menu items, which include fruit smoothies and salads currently being tested, to broaden the brand’s appeal beyond its traditional young male burger-eating demographic.
The oatmeal debut came soon after Burger King introduced a new burger, the California Whopper, and a new television ad campaign that ditched the longtime King mascot from its marketing.
Earnings at the 12,251-unit chain have struggled recently under its new owners, 3G Capital Management LLC. Two weeks ago, Burger King reported that net income fell 12.7 percent in the second quarter, while second-quarter revenue dropped 4 percent and same-store sales decreased 5.3 percent in the United States and Canada.
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