A European initiative for major manufacturers to remove added sugar from cereals
Holie’s, the Dutch disruptive challenger brand and the #2 cereal brand in both the Netherlands and Belgium, is launching Wake Up, Big Cereal; a European initiative challenging major cereal manufacturers to remove added sugar from their entire product ranges and use their scale to help make breakfast healthier across Europe. At wakeupbigcereal.today, manufacturers can see how Holie’s makes cereals without added sugar and find out more about the initiative.
The Holie’s product portfolio has 0% added sugar, no sweeteners, is high in protein and gut healthy: a combination no other UK cereal brand can claim across its full range. As the ultimate statement, Holie’s is even sharing its own recipe with the competition as part of the campaign. Rolling out across Amsterdam, Brussels and London from Weds 16th Sept, it features bold social media collaborations, online and offline brand activations, a taxi wrap and outdoor advertising designed to wake Big Cereal up.
Europe is still consuming too much added sugar. Recent European research shows that adults across nine European countries consume an average of around 55 grams of added sugar per day. That is equivalent to almost 20 kilograms a year, or around 5,000 sugar cubes per person. A high intake of added sugar is not without consequences. Excessive sugar consumption contributes to overweight and tooth decay and has been associated with an increased risk of chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Yet supermarket shelves are still packed with cereals containing added sugar. Major brands such as Kellogg’s, Quaker and Jordans still generate the majority of their sales in the Benelux and the United Kingdom from products containing added sugar, together accounting for around €700 million a year (NIQ, 2025). According to Holie’s, this highlights just how much positive impact these brands could make by making their entire portfolios healthier.
Valentijn van Santvoort, co-founder of Holie’s says: “Big brands are slowly starting to move in the right direction with products that contain no added sugar. Great. But the rest of their portfolios are being left behind. With their scale comes responsibility. It’s time to step things up. Less sugar should be the standard, not the alternative,”
Already outselling Kellogg’s in its home market, Holie’s is now running at a £1 million annual run rate, up 300% year on year in the UK. Following the recent nationwide Morrisons listing the brand is driving more than 38% of category growth and has become the #1 brand in low sugar, high protein granola.
Holie’s is already outselling more established challengers like Bio&Me and SURREAL.
Find our more: www.wakeupbigcereal.today and www.holies.com
±5,000 sugar cubes per year: Based on a mean added sugar intake of 54.6 grams per day, standardised to a 2,500 kcal diet, among 16,083 adults across nine European countries: the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Estonia, Hungary and Switzerland. Miranda et al., European Journal of Nutrition (2025). The comparison is based on 4 grams per sugar cube.
Sales of products containing added sugar: NIQ sales data, 2025. Benelux and United Kingdom.
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