bake - May 2015 - 16

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the consumer pulse
bread trends
FLAVORS AND FORMATS
Stagnant growth in the commercial bread aisle provides the opportunity to reinvigorate the bread category with new and
interesting ﬂavors, as well as engage in more frequent promotional activity of nontraditional breads such as tortillas and
ﬂatbreads. Almost six in 10 American bread buyers are interested in trying new types of bread, simply to experiment with new
ﬂavors and formats. Further, more than half say they enjoy bread products from other cultures and geographic locations. In
both cases, these inﬂuences are driven by the adventurous and fast-growing Millennial generation, now 75.3 million strong in
the US. Keep in mind that Millennials are projected to outnumber Baby Boomers for the ﬁrst time in 2015, according to Pew
Research Center.
Despite relatively high household penetration, health and wellness considerations (along with the ever- changing lifestyle
habits of American consumers) are mostly to blame for slow growth in the commercial bread aisle. Since 2010, the bread
and bread product category plodded along from $22.4 billion to $24.7 billion in total US retail sales. Within four years, current
forecasts peg the category at $27 billion. What are key obstacles? Many buyers perceive bread to be too high in calories and
carbohydrates to eat it too frequently. In addition, a number of alternative meal sides, as well as sandwich carriers (think tortillas) have emerged to create more choices for consumers.
Despite these expectations of slow growth ahead, the beneﬁcial opportunity for bread brands is to attract a greater number of repeat purchases by offering products that align more closely with attributes that shoppers consider important:
healthier choices, more convenient options, and lots of variety in forms and ﬂavors. For example, the explosion in popularity
of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cuisine is a major driver behind a boom in the ﬂatbread market. Sales of gourmet specialty breads that feature savory Mediterranean and Asian ﬂavors, additionally, are on the increase. Sweeter ﬂavors can
expand into the category, as well, in order to boost consumption as a breakfast alternative or dessert option.
Looking ahead, more than half of American bread consumers agree that it is important to avoid some types of breads because
they are high in sodium, fat, and/or high-fructose corn syrup. So, health-related attributes in bread will continue to have high
appeal. "High in ﬁber" and protein are attributes in demand by a signiﬁcant portion of consumers, although the latter is an
undeveloped proposition in the marketplace. The potential for more fortiﬁed and functional breads is clearly on the rise.

CONSUMER TRENDS DRIVING CLEAN LABEL
Bread usage is signiﬁcantly driven by
experimental attitudes followed by
value and nutrition

When making bread selections, consumers are focusing on type of ﬂour,
form and health factors

SOURCE: CORBION CARAVAN PROPRIETARY BREAD STUDY, 2013

Attributes associated with
better-for-you bread products

SOURCE: CORBION PROPRIETARY CONSUMER STUDY, 2014

what our experts say
Brands can succeed by taking advantage of consumer trends. The best opportunities to "disrupt and engage" shoppers in the bread aisle, as
well as the in-store bakery, are in the areas of format, ﬂavor, and fortiﬁcation. Are we in the baking industry offering products to meet changing
consumer needs? Do you know what your customers want? What motivates them to purchase? Knowing consumers and what they want is half
the battle of achieving success and growth. At Corbion Caravan our Insights Team has experience in the grocery, drug, mass, club, convenience
and food service channels. Our highly developed expertise in bakery consumer trends provides a unique opportunity to leverage these trends.
We look at several key factors, including sales trends by market, competitor performance, consumer demographics, focus and behaviors, to help
customers evaluate the competitive market. By combining market information with numerous other resources to identify the key market drivers
and solutions, we're able to help customers ﬁnd the key ingredients to success.
- Ryan Barnett, Global Market Insights Manager

bake - May 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bake - May 2015