Kellogg’s CEO Says Struggling Families Should Eat Cereal For Dinner

Kellogg CEO Gary Pilnick spoke during an interview with CNBC, during which he suggested that families start eating cereal for dinner to save on costs.

The message has not been well received.

Pilnick has unleashed the internet horde on himself with these comments.

Kellogg’s CEO faces backlash after suggesting people should eat cereal for dinner to save money https://t.co/5m4HgKQFky pic.twitter.com/8OpiHZZf77

— New York Post (@nypost) February 26, 2024

The folks at Fox Business share more:

WK Kellogg CEO Gary Pilnick is suggesting that consumers dealing with the high cost of food eat cereal for dinner. His message is landing him in hot water.

“We gotta reach the consumer where they are, so we’re advertising about cereal for dinner,” Pilnick said last week during an interview with CNBC.

He said the message is “landing really well” with consumers, who are spending more of their income on food than they have in the last three decades.

In 2022, 11.3% of disposable income was used on food, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing data from the Agriculture Department. That is the highest figure since 1991, when 11.4% of disposable income was used, according to the data.

“The cereal category has always been quite affordable and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure,” Pilnick said, adding that “cereal for dinner is something that is probably more on trend now, and we would expect to continue as that consumer is under pressure.”

Read some of the outcry here:

such a cruel thing.. people are suffering with lack of good food due to inflation and this guy is very happy for that

— Omkhar Setty (@omkhar_setty) February 26, 2024

The CEO of Kellogg is happy to say that more people are eating cereal for dinner.

In fact, the company is leaning into it and intentionally advertising about cereal as a dinner meal for cash-strapped families. pic.twitter.com/dMIHbZG6b4

— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) February 21, 2024

The CEO of Kellogg promotes “cereal for dinner” as families struggle with the high cost of food. pic.twitter.com/7hVtZcNx3j

— Meat Head (@markeatsmeat) February 27, 2024

USA Today shares more:

Pilnick’s annual income includes a $1 million base salary and over $4 million in incentive compensation, according to a September 2023 SEC filing published by Business Insider.

“And how do you think consumers became under pressure?” TikTok user James Li, said. “It’s companies like Kellogg that have used the excuse of inflation in order to price gauge consumers.”

And is seems that the company is “enriching its shareholder,” Li said.

What do you think?

Is the Kellogg CEO being ridiculous here?

Or is he just misunderstood?