Kellogg’s CEO Gary Pilnick is going viral after his money-saving suggestion to poor families.
During an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk,” Pilnick said poor families should consider eating cereal for dinner to save money.
Pilnick said families who are struggling with inflated grocery bills should eat cereal for dinner.
Kellogg’s is running an ad campaign promoting cereal as a low-cost alternative to the high price of meat and poultry.
“The cereal category has always been quite affordable, and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure,” he said. “If you think it’s going to be much more affordable,” Pilnick added.
Pilnick, 59, has been Kellogg’s CEO since October 2023, according to his profile on LinkedIn. He has been with the Michigan-based company for 23 years.
Some Twitter/X users were outraged that a millionaire CEO is so out of touch with his consumer base.
Despite the public outrage, Pilnick said the “Cereal for dinner” ad campaign is a success.
“In fact, it’s landing really well right now,” Pilnick told CNBC. “Cereal for dinner is something that is probably more on trend now, and we would expect to continue as that consumer is under pressure.”
However, nutritionists say cereals are loaded with sugar, sodium, fat and preservatives.
They suggest buying a low-sugar, high-fiber cereal with whole grains. You can add fruit and seeds or nuts for protein.