www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJEBS: Volume: 03, Number: 8, June-2014 Page 107 A Study of Breakfast Habits of Urban Indian Consumers Mrs. Lakshmi Shankar Iyer Assistant Professor, Christ University Institute of Management Kanmanike, Kumbalgodu, Mysore Road, Bengaluru – 560 060 Mr. Nishanth Kumar P Student, Christ University Institute of Management, Kanmanike, Kumbalgodu Mysore Road, Bengaluru – 560 060 Abstract Breakfast, an essential part of any household, is turning out to be more tempting with quick fix and tasty options which are creating a wave in the Indian market. Being strapped for time and having the need for fast and nutritious breakfast, the Indian urban household is moving away from traditional breakfast as it consumes more time for preparation. The Indian consumer is waking up to the need of a healthier lifestyle and also to the need to start the day with a King’s breakfast. The affluent urban consumer looks for convenient options to have quick, nutritious and tasty breakfast. The shift to low fat and healthy options, the awareness to keep weight in control and maintain healthy lifestyle is another trend that could make the segment change to top gear. The current study focuses on change in the breakfast pattern of Urban Indians from traditional to modern methods. The study also tries to understand the brand positioning and marketing strategies of companies in the evolving breakfast segment. Keywords: Breakfast pattern, Ready to eat foods, Traditional and modern breakfast, Urban Indian consumers INTRODUCTION Breakfast is an essential part of an Indian household and therefore holds immense opportunity for marketers. The sheer variety that is possible in this space makes it exciting to explore. Moreover, today’s consumer is willing to experiment in this category and hence there in an ongoing innovation and a slew of new product launches in this space. While consumers of all age groups view the nascent segment of breakfast ready-to-eat versions as nutritious and convenient, the companies marketing the varied products are seen as a market of considerable potential. Food Industry experts point out that India is a late entrant into the breakfast ready-to-eat market. But the entry is better late than never. (VIJAY, 2013) There is no doubt that the multinationals hold sway to the ready to eat breakfast market and are well ahead in terms of novel ingredients and flavor adding zest to this segment. While the domestic players are getting into the space at a faster than expected pace on their market share in most markets, they are not much aware about the cereal market. Paucity of time, dual income and need for fast and nutritious breakfast drives the Indian urban household to opt for breakfast cereals. The Indian consumer is waking up to need of a healthier lifestyle and the need to start the day with the breakfast of a King. The affluent consumers facing lack of time is looking for convenient options to make breakfast quick, nutritious and tasty. It is these three needs that are driving the influx of options for the players to grow. The shift to low fat and healthy options, the awareness to keep weight in control and maintain healthy lifestyle is another trend that could make the segment top gear. Considerable inputs are also coming in from nutritionists, pediatricians and cardiologists who are looking to power the breakfast options with cereals that could sustain for hours and also provide the necessary weight control. From the simple stir cereals in milk, to oats, ready to cook upma, poha and ready to heat and eat chapattis there is likely to be an explosion of concepts in the category. A change is taking place at the breakfast table of an average urban Indian household which is nothing short of a revolution. The home-made idli is being replaced by one dished out from a