Supermarket granolas were just recently taste-tested. We tasted dozens of popular brands to find the best-tasting options that offered a good nutrition-to-cost ratio. According to our findings, you can instantly see how brands compare in terms of sweetness, ingredient quality and overall customer experience. This review in particular looks at four of the most well-known examples widely sold at four of the UK’s biggest supermarkets—Asda, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, and Ocado.
FUEL10K Chocolate Chunks Protein Granola Breakfast Cereal, 400g, £3 at Asda. Though this cereal attracts the attention of health-conscious consumers with its high protein claim, it’s 16% sugar, mostly from date syrup. Although this granola has touted nutritional benefits, this offering placed with a much lower ★☆☆☆☆ rating, meaning there was minimal appeal to our testers. Costing 75p per 100g, its value for money is certainly called into question especially when stacked up to the competition.
By comparison, the Eat Natural Low Sugar Whole Grain Oats Granola Breakfast Cereal gets it right. Sold at Sainsbury’s for £4.10 for a 450g box, this works out at 91p per 100g. Specially designed with the health-conscious consumer in mind, this product provides consumers with a delightful low-sugar solution. The detailed flavor ratings have not been made public in their review. The focus on whole grains makes it sound like a healthier choice compared to other sugary, empty calorie options.
Gail’s Toasted Coconut, Rye & Maple Granola is one to beat with its bold flavor palate. This 350g pack retails for £5.50 at Waitrose, which is £1.57 per 100g. The flavor scorecards won’t do much to scream gourmet, but the price point certainly does. This is one very premium product. It’s designed for premium consumers who are focused on quality ingredients.
That got us dreaming, and the test concluded that Nibs etc Rye, Hazelnut & Cacao Granola came out as the top choice. This granola is £5.50 at Ocado. At just £1.53 for 100g, this is an extremely affordable option with a stellar ★★★★★☆ rating. The testers raved about its perfect balance of sweetness and texture. They made it known that the ultimate granola means big, achievable, golden clusters of just-the-right sweet clusters without being too sweet. The perfect complement of whole grains, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Judging from our taste test, a positive sign is that cereals are making a change towards more health conscious options becoming widely available. Some granolas are more than ⅓ sugar, with sugar percentages as high as 31.6%, and superfluous flavorings. Consumers have been demanding more natural products with less sugar.
This shocking contrast between the two products emphasizes the vastly different breakfast cereal environment we find ourselves in when we head to the supermarket. FUEL10K’s high sugar cereal has led to disappointing customer ratings. This should stand as a cautionary tale for those seeking wholesome breakfast options. On the other hand, Nibs etc’s success shows that consumers will choose flavor and quality over insignificant protein figures.