Baked goods with a higher level of difficulty will generally find appeal. Products that are currently trending include items most people don’t want to tackle at home (or have made poorly in the past…) like croissants, brioche, or braided challah—anything just beyond the home cook’s capabilities, but not beyond their appreciation, suggests Nancy Jo Seaton, president, Seaton Food Consultants, Stamford, CT.
Nutritional components will factor into purchase decisions for some demographics. “In an area where a vegan lifestyle and eating for health are in high focus, adding quinoa and other ancient grains could dramatically increase product sales,” says Seaton. “But in an area where consumers are focused on more traditional products, textures, and flavors, substitutions for the sake of health benefits could negatively impact sales. Knowing your consumer is key.” She also notes offering half loaves helps keep customers coming back to the grocery store.
Premium bread consumers are looking for a shorter ingredient lists and are willing to sacrifice shelf life and other attributes to obtain that perceived healthier bread, suggests Nick Ferraro, NAFTA bakery marketing manager, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences, St. Louis. “We have seen a rise in single-person households over the last year.” This has led to a slight rise in perceived food waste, and consumers increasingly aware of sustainability and the environment are taking notice. “Hence, we have seen the emergence of the ‘half loaf’ to align with this newer consumer trend.” Interestingly, he notes, these half loafs often are priced slightly higher than what we would expect. “As this consumer group becomes more sustainable, they are willing to accept a higher price point to reduce food waste.”
Half loaves and smaller loaves are also attractive to customers with a health and nutrition focus, says Ken Skrzypiec, Eastern VP of sales, Brolite Products, Inc., Bartlett, IL. “It creates less waste for the buyer, and they still get to enjoy the bread they love.”
Also, more people are making breakfast and lunch at home, says Skrzypiec, so breakfast breads are seeing a resurgence.
“According to Catalina Shopper Insights, shopping trips have decreased from 7.5 in August 2019 to 6.7 in August of 2020,” says Ferraro. That’s a reduction of one entire trip per month. “This corresponds to an increase in basket size from roughly $41 to $49 over the same time. Customers are still stocking up. The inside aisles in a store that were recently declining—in particular, the bakery space—have experienced a resurgence due to many factors. The stockpiling and longer shelf life that some of these bread products provide is certainly one of those factors. Also, as many consumers continue to struggle through this pandemic, the non-premium breads, such as low-cost breads, have also seen a small resurgence.” These breads are often priced between $1 and $3, have longer ingredient lists, and can have a longer shelf life while providing healthy nutrients to kids still at home from school.
COVID has spurred more at-home eating, says Matthew Jacobs, director of strategic marketing, Bay State Milling, Quincy, MA, so the humble sandwich has seen a resurgence as a quick, go-to meal. “Because bread has been such a staple food item for many Americans, it stands to reason consumers look to their daily bread to deliver important benefits such as nutrition and indulgence.” More of today’s bread manufacturers offer breads that permit both nutrition and enjoyment in the same loaf.