Let them eat.. cereal! Kelloggs CEO earning $5million a year is slammed for telling Americans to eat ‘corn flakes for dinner’ to save money

The CEO of cereal maker Kelloggs has suggested that Americans should start eating cereal for dinner to save money and combat rising food prices.

Gary Pilnick, who has been with the company since 2000 but only became CEO in October, acknowledged how people were under financial pressure as inflation pushed up supermarket prices.

But instead of offering meaningful tips for saving money, Pilnick, who earns a salary of $5 million a year, instead pushed his own product and suggested that customers consume more of it – any time of day or night.

“The grains category has always been quite affordable and is often a good destination when consumers are under pressure,” the grain company’s CEO said.

Kelloggs CEO suggested customers consume more breakfast cereal – at any time of day or night if they were struggling to afford other types of food

Pilnick suggested that Americans should combat rising supermarket prices by eating cereal for dinner (file photo)

Pilnick has been with the company since 2000, but only became CEO in October 2023

“When you think about the cost of cereal for a family versus what they would otherwise do, it becomes much more affordable,” Pilnick said, claiming it could help a “consumer who is under pressure” as the price of a bowl of cereal with milk and fruit ‘is less than a dollar.’

When asked if Kellog’s posts had the potential to “go the wrong way,” Pilnick said he didn’t feel like that was a problem.

‘It’s landing very well at the moment. It turns out that more than 25 percent of our consumption falls outside the breakfast area. A lot of it is at dinner. And that opportunity continues to grow,” he shared CNBC.

“We talk about making sure we have the right package at the right price in the right place. So if you have a different size package with a different price, that will take some of the pressure off the consumer while shopping.

Many on social media suggested he was out of touch with the financial problems of ordinary people, given that more than 11 percent of disposable income goes to food.

“But overall, the cereal category is a place that a lot of people flock to because the price of a bowl of cereal with milk and fruit is less than a dollar. So you can imagine why a consumer under pressure would find this a good place to go.’

Pilnick’s tone-deaf suggestions took to social media like a bowl of dry cereal, with many suggesting he was out of touch with the financial struggles of everyday people, given that more than 11 percent of disposable income goes to food.

“Hebflation forces families to make choices, such as eating cereal for dinner, to save money. Kellogg’s CEO brags about it while showing the massive increase in corporate profits that helped create the problem in the first place. F**k this shit,” Evan Sutton wrote on X.

‘Meanwhile, he eats at five-star restaurants every night and if not, his personal chef cooks for him. Absolutely disgusting. To eat. The. Rich, added another.

Pilnick has made no further statements about his cereal dinner, but defended his suggestion during his original interview, citing non-breakfast cereal consumption as a “growing trend” that he expects to continue.

‘Many people eat cereal for breakfast occasionally because it’s quick and easy or to satisfy their cravings. That’s one thing. But to suggest that people choose breakfast cereal for dinner to save money because rising food prices are putting pressure on families is simply out of reach, absurd and cruel from someone who is rich because he sells overpriced food. The level of arrogance is not surprising, but it is disgusting,” Alyssa Strickland wrote.

‘The peasants have no dinner! “Let them eat cereal.” Kellogg says,” Gregory Gerner said.

‘Wasn’t it Marie Antoinette who, when she heard that the peasants in France were starving, said: ‘Then let them eat grains’? We all know how that turned out,” another added.

“I’m sorry, but who and what CEO would even have the confidence to say something like this? I’m 30 years old and cereal for dinner is not food. Low income earners do this for something instead of nothing,” Kang Kim wrote.

‘People: we don’t eat, we are hungry

CEO: Then just eat grains

People: but they are expensive

CEO: We hear you! we make the packaging smaller so it costs less <3' paraphrased Dominic Pascal.

Although Pilnick has made no further statements about his cereal dinner, he defended his suggestion during his original interview, citing non-breakfast cereal consumption as a growing trend that he expects to continue.