A new report from Datamonitor on Trends and Opportunities in In- store Bakery looks at some of the global issues which are influencing the category.
The five key trends identified as most impacting the in-store bakery space are as follows:
1. Gluten-Free – different consumer motivations are driving demand and NPD in this bakery sub-segment – i.e. the “worried well” rather than “sufferers” will drive category growth.
2. Sprouted grains – sprouting a grain increases its nutritional value, providing opportunities to differentiate products and target specific consumer needs.
3. Product vegification – fortifying bread with vegetables provides an opportunity to add sensory interest and add health cues.
4. Migrating influences – consumers are becoming more and more receptive to concepts originating from other cultures.
5. Bakery mash-ups – greater consumer willingness to experiment is spurring innovation through new and exciting combinations – sensory fusion, novelty and experimentation have led to many new hybrid products such as “cronuts” and “duffins”.
Looking at the last of these trends in particular, Bord Bia has previously reported on the growth of hybrid products. Although the hybrid products themselves may be short lived, the concept of seeking out bakery products that combine the qualities and properties of different foods, which bring excitement and interest to the category is likely to be a long-standing route to market.
According to Datamonitor, 70% of global consumers report that experiencing new things is important or very important to them. 2015 for example has seen a resurgence of the doughnut, according to a recent article in the British Baker. The fresh in-store doughnut bakery market in the UK has grown by 6.3% in the past year, with ring doughnuts growing by 24%. Doughnuts are on-trend at the moment, largely because they are seen as being fun, with new and quirky UK brands such as Crosstown Doughnuts and Dum Dum Donutterie spearheading different and interesting creations such as rocky road, sea salt caramel and banana cream doughnuts.
