In the frozen and par-baked arena, bakers are discovering new ways to give Oprah hundreds of reasons to shout out, “I love bread.” If perception is reality, then the bakers who spar in this highly competitive market are using a language that speaks to their customers and ultimately communicates with consumers on multiple levels.
“Transparency, clean label and adventurous flavors are three top trends that we see across nearly all bakery categories but even more so within the breads and rolls segment,” noted Andrew Brimacombe, chief commercial services officer, Aryzta, Los Angeles. “Innovating foods to meet these trends that are important to consumers is key.”
Specifically, suppliers to the food service, in-store bakery, c-store and multiple other channels are identifying trends as they continue to evolve and responding to those nuances that drive purchasing patterns and overall consumption of baked goods. Take “healthy” — that often overused term.
“The consumer’s perception of ‘healthy’ has transformed from focusing on what the food is missing — reduced fat, low calorie, sugar-free, etc. — to what the food itself is — non-G.M.O., clean label, simple, wholesome ingredients, etc.,” Mr. Brimacombe explained. “Consumers are embracing the slow food movement and appreciate brands that are making food the way it was meant to be made. At Aryzta, we recognize the consumer’s need for transparency and are making foods to fit the demand within our leading sweet snacks brand, Otis Spunkmeyer, as well as our premier bread brand, La Brea Bakery.”