Although supermarkets and other grocery stores in Britain experienced a surge in footfall over the past year, in-store bakeries suffered as retailers prioritized in demand categories, such as ambient and frozen. As a result availability of in-store bakery products was sparse, so sales suffered.
Once panic buying triggered by the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic started to subside, retailers began producing more baked goods in addition to making some of their top sellers available to buy in frozen form for customers to bake at home. Subsequently, purchases of baked goods rose above pre-pandemic levels, according to Country Choice, supplier of in-store baked goods and retail foodservice products.
“During the first lockdown many consumers tried their hand at home baking, and so sales of flours and yeast skyrocketed,” said Hannah Morter of the Orpington, Kent, UK-headquartered company’s customer insight and category management department. “In the subsequent lockdowns, we have seen sales of our in-store bakery bread increase, along with demand for frozen bread and confectionery products to finish off at home.”
On the Up
According to the London-based Mintel market research group, the cakes, cake bars and sweet baked goods category in the United Kingdom grew by 4.5% in 2019 to generate sales of £2,372 million. Although accurate market forecasting was difficult in 2020, Mintel analysts expect this pattern of behavior to mimic the growth experienced after the 2008-09 recession.
“The disruption over the past year has been enormous, but there is optimism when it comes to the sweet baked goods market,” said Kevin Hughes, general manager in the UK and Ireland for the Ninove, Belgium-headquartered family-owned La Lorraine Bakery Group. “In fact, predictions are that by 2024 the market will have a value of £2.36 billion. While this is not the £2.54 billion that was predicted before the pandemic, it is still a very healthy outlook.”
He added: “Grab-and-go sweet baked goods such as doughnuts are an inexpensive way for consumers to treat themselves and, as we saw with the 2008 recession, they are a good way to bolster one’s mood and satisfy sugar-coated cravings in times of uncertainty. Consumers are drawn to their hand-held, easily munchable nature and how they can easily be eaten on the move, which is now par for the course as caterers find themselves having to offer take-away snacks in the absence of a sit-down meal.”
Diversification
Many foodservice outlets have started offering delivery services for their bestselling products, such as baguettes, croissants and sausage rolls. These types of offerings have been very successful as they can easily be added to existing delivery apps.
“For one of our customers, our eight-inch sausage roll has become a top-three bestselling item across the whole store among products bought using a delivery app,” said Morter. “Additionally, we have developed a new pizza concept, which allows retailers to create delicious pizzas quickly and efficiently, for either takeaway or home delivery.”
Grab-and-go and takeaway service has thrived during the pandemic, with 24% of consumers in Britain buying cakes, cake bars and sweet baked goods as a form of dessert,
providing operators with the ideal opportunity to promote buy now, eat later options.
Firing Up with Italian Wood Fired Pizza Bases
The desire for artisanal foods remains high with consumers, and to meet demand Pan’Artisan elevated offerings by re-engineering its Italian Wood Fired Pizza Bases. The result is a product with the authentic characteristics of a higher crust and the appealing flavor of true Napoli pizza.
“We wanted to ensure that our Italian Wood Fired bases were as genuine as they could be,” said Chris Dickinson, development director of the Midhurst, West Sussex, UK-based company. “It’s for this reason we have them manufactured for us in Italy, guaranteeing provenance and authenticity. To ensure a rustic, artisanal base the dough is hand stretched and, to offer the ultimate in convenience, they are topped with a premium tomato sauce and are available in two sizes: 23cm in cases of 10, and 29cm in cases of 12.”
The pizza bases are available part-baked and delivered frozen. Defrosting time at room temperature is 10 minutes. As it is already sauced, one needs only to sprinkle the base with grated cheese and add desired toppings prior to baking.
Bake-in-Pack Sandwiches Hot Stuff
“Within hot savories our range of bake-in-pack sandwiches has proved to be popular,” said Morter. “They are delivered packaged and are designed to be baked in the packaging before being placed in a hot display cabinet. Staff members have no contact with the contents of the packaging, and this gives consumers added confidence when it comes to hygiene concerns that they might have in relation to product handling.”
Country Range’s new ready assembled wraps and paninis come individually wrapped in ovenable film. Operators simply bake the frozen pack for around 25 minutes and then display it in a suitable hot unit for up to two hours. They are available in six varieties: bacon, sausage, meatball melt, cheese and onion, chicken fajita, and ham and cheese.
Donut Worry Be Happy
For consumers looking seeking grab and go doughnuts to eat later as a dessert or indulge in a mid-morning snack, La Lorraine Bakery Group’s new doughnut range gives caterers the opportunity to entice them and make a healthy profit without having to overprice.
“People are, generally, eating healthier – especially with lockdown – and have more time to cook from scratch and give their diet more thought,” said Hughes. “Doughnuts are often recognized as unabashedly indulgent and a treat, however, our Donut Worry Be Happy assortment offers an alternative light bite with a burst of flavor, so customers can carry on their day, post-snack, minus the ‘food baby’.”
The Belgian Bakery manufacturer’s Donut Worry Be Happy (DWBH) range comprises light, fluffy doughnuts with a choice of premium fillings, toppings and flavor combinations. From Ruffallo Cream, featuring a coconut-glaze and filled to the brim with Raffaello-style cream, to Belgiyum with its real Belgian chocolate filling, there is a wide choice of doughnuts available to suit every desire. The range also caters for vegan and vegetarian preferences.
The baked goods market has experienced a shift over the past year, with greater demand for frozen offerings in the retail sectors. IGD research suggests that even by 2022 food-to-go will return to only 80% of its 2019 figure. However, as the sector has already proven capable of moving with the times, innovative new products are sure to increase purchases in this sector. – Reported by Sarah Welsh
