'It isn't that cheap': Kellogg’s CEO Gary Pilnick slammed for suggesting cereal for dinner to save money

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kellogg’s CEO has recently received backlash after he suggested that people should eat cereal for dinner to save money.

Gary Pilnick said that consumers who were spending a larger portion of their income on groceries than they had in the previous thirty years should eat cereal.

What did Gary Pilnick say?

Pilnick said in an interview with CNBC last week, “The cereal category has always been quite affordable, and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure.”

He added, “If you think about the cost of cereal for a family versus what they might otherwise do, that’s going to be much more affordable.” CNBC host Carl Quintanilla asked Kellogg’s CEO if encouraging cash-strapped customers to eat cereal for dinner could “land the wrong way,” to which a Pilnick replied, “In fact, it’s landing really well right now.”

"Cereal for dinner is something that is probably more on trend now,” Pilnick insisted during an interview earlier reported on and by CNN, noting that a bowl of cereal with milk and fresh fruit is under $1.

For context, the company that created popular breakfast favorites like Raisin Bran, Froot Loops, Frosted Mini Wheats, and Corn Flakes, Kellogg's, has been betting on the popularity of breakfast for dinner since 2022, when it first started a campaign to encourage Americans to include the infamously sugary dish in their dinnertime routine.

According to a press release at the time, the campaign, which emphasized the tagline "give chicken the night off," claimed that cereal for supper is a low-prep, low-mess choice in addition to being inexpensive.

Internet reacts to Gary Pilnick's statement

Pilnick's statement received a backlash from Internet users. A user wrote on X, "Where's he been? Single guys have been doing that for almost a century."

Another user opined, "How much money do you think he makes a year in salary? I know in 2021, CEO Steve Cahillane's Salary and Compensation topped $11 Million."

One more user opined saying, "Cereal isn’t that cheap and it’s empty carbs, sugar, and chemicals. You’d be a lot better off buying a dozen eggs and having eggs for dinner." Another user wrote, "Cereal is terrible for you. Eat a steak. Or ground beef."

A user said, "Maybe he should have tried that on his staff first? If it worked then cut their pay accordingly and pass on the savings as price cuts."

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