28 minute read
Featured Brand
Elevating the Experience
With a formula upgrade to non-GMO, plant-based and kosher, Breton crackers are upping the snack board game.
BY JOANIE SPENCER
Entertaining at home looks very different today than it did back in 2020 ... when people were essentially entertaining themselves.
“In 2020 and 2021, most people were not entertaining in large groups,” said Kat Palange, US brand manager for Dare Foods, parent company to cracker brand Breton. “A lot of those big charcuterie platters that were so relevant up to that point weren’t being created because people just weren’t having that many guests in their home.”
Parties dwindled, but as people cooked and snacked at home, the cooking and the snacking often intersected. At times, they were even elevated, as pre-dinner snacks arrived on kitchen counters while self-appointed home chefs served up appetizer boards to make the at-home dining experience a little more special.
Snacking had already taken off before the pandemic, but in that new, isolated reality, it skyrocketed. Meanwhile, traditional entertaining waned … and snuck into the snack realm.
“People made casual snack plates, rather than large charcuterie boards, and dressed them up with crackers and toppings that made them feel more elevated,” Palange said. “It didn’t feel like the typical cheese and crackers, and we started to play in that space.”
The shift was a genesis of innovation for Breton as consumers started spicing up the everyday by trying new food combinations. True to the Breton tagline, “Make every day, less everyday,” and in the wake of restaurant closures and cooking fatigue, Breton’s brand and product innovation has gained serious momentum.
“Snacking has become more elevated, and our marketing message has shifted toward that,” Palange said, noting that Breton’s product size and shape are well suited for sophisticated snacking.
Today, there’s a renewed sense of normalcy as parties and other gatherings are happening once again. And while snacking innovation went wild during lockdowns, it’s now infused into the world of home entertaining.
For Breton, that’s a winning combination for growth. “We’re shifting that message back to a combination of snacking and entertaining,” Palange noted. “We’re seeing holiday boards with our crackers pop up on Instagram feeds, with influencers doing things like Fourth of July boards and more gathering-focused messaging. Our social media users also tend to feature our crackers on charcuterie boards whenever they gather, so that creates beautiful content and relevant messaging year-round.”
Breton has tapped into influencer power in three primary sectors representing the brand’s core consumer segments: foodies, parenting, and health and wellness.
While foodies are more adventurous in terms of toppings or occasions, consumers in the parenting space are looking for more whimsical uses such as creating strawberry s’mores with the crackers. But on the health and wellness side of things, Breton positions its crackers as part of the trend toward meal-replacement snacking.
“We can reach so many different audiences through our influencers,” Palange said. “And we can get many
All photos courtesy of Dare Foods different ‘micro’ messages out to different consumers who are following particular influencers. It can be difficult to get such a customized message across without using those social channels.”
Discovering the new ways that consumers were approaching snacking and understanding those needs to be filled, Breton evaluated its product attributes and how they could appeal to each demographic group without placing a focus on niche diets that eventually fade out.
Breton recognized consumers’ propensity toward functional foods and those with specific attributes like plant-based, kosher and non-GMO, and it rose to the forefront of the brand’s product redevelopment.
“There has been a big consumer focus on transparency, especially with healthy ingredients, and that’s played a big part in our transformation,” Palange said. “It’s something that consumers are continually looking closer at with their foods, and they’re looking for companies that care about what they put in their products. That’s why we felt it was important to continue offering a high-quality product with new claims.”
To better meet those consumer needs in the US market, Dare Foods spent more than a year focusing on the Breton formula as well as the brand to identify the right product claims and how to best deliver them.
“That led us down the path of looking at this from a product perspective in what we needed to deliver on the cracker,” Palange said.
Meeting — or exceeding — consumer expectations was dependent on two
factors: Breton’s ability to manufacture the new formula and consumers’ ability to find the product on the shelf. That meant a holistic product renovation from the inside out.
“This is the sort of thing you only want to do one time,” Palange said. “We wanted to say to our retailers, ‘We’ve thought about all these things in the full picture, and this is how we see the path to success going forward.’”
Pulling this off amid industry uncertainty required a full team effort, including departments ranging from R&D and procurement to supply chain and manufacturing — and everyone in between. That included investigating the manufacturing implications for a non-GMO formula, as well as readying the facility for plant-based and kosher certifications, including a full bakery inspection and blessing by a rabbi for kosher-pareve certification.
The wheels went in motion just in time for the global supply chain to unravel and costs to skyrocket … but the Breton team forged ahead, undeterred.
“The overhaul remained top of mind for [Dare Foods] leadership, and we kept moving forward with it,” Palange said. “Internally, the teams had to say, ‘We are not going to walk away from this, no matter how challenging it is. We’ve discovered this opportunity, and we’re moving forward.’ And we were supported in that effort to bring this to market.”
Although new production lines weren’t required for the reformulation, the company did invest in necessary equipment upgrades to ensure the crackers could be manufactured efficiently while adhering to strict kosher standards. In addition to other capital investments, Dare also made a significant financial investment into the reformulation, including upgrading to non-GMO ingredients.
When working with a completely new formula, there are challenges to overcome. Working with different inclusions and avoiding production issues such as dough breakage are just a few.
“All those things had to be considered with the reformulation,” Palange said. “There was time and investment needed, but the challenges were surmountable.”
The result was a revitalized Breton cracker line — Non-GMO Project verified, plant-based and certified kosherpareve — on-par with the previous formula, packaged with a whole new look that’s eye-catching on the shelf. Today, Breton’s design showcases the flavors on the front of pack, and the cracker is more visible, along with different types of toppings that go well with it. Dare also updated pack colors for Breton’s Cabaret and Grains First crackers, originally blue and white, to “Breton brown,” leveraging the entire brand block together.
The company also upgraded Breton’s gluten-free crackers to a plant-based formula and is currently working on non-GMO certification, projected for 2023.
Between trend-morphing, supply chain challenges and massive price increases for raw materials across the board, Breton could have been running just to keep up. But by reformulating its product and revitalizing the brand, Dare Foods has set Breton up for the future. CB
A Values-First Approach
Solving the workforce crisis starts with listening … and ends with action.
BY MAGGIE GLISAN
It’s no secret that these are challenging times for attracting and retaining a talented and engaged workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the commercial baking industry from top to bottom, and the lingering effects make one thing clear … there’s no returning to business as usual.
This sentiment rings especially true given current labor challenges. The pandemic cracked open what wasn’t working for many employees, and if the Great Resignation is any indication, industry leaders must listen — and act — based on employees’ work-life needs or risk losing their most valuable asset: their people.
Workers are more discerning than ever about where they invest their time and energy, and this proves to be notably true for the younger workforce. According to a 2021 report by global marketing agency LEWIS, only 19% of Gen Z would work for a company that does not share their values.
“The next generation are quickly moving into the workforce, and they want to be heard,” said Chris Lewis, CEO of LEWIS. “It’s clear that Gen Z prioritize values above all else, and companies that
For the next generation of workers, company values and how they are implemented are critical.
don’t understand or reflect that will find themselves struggling to attract and retain the best talent.”
Today, purpose is paramount. Company leaders are increasingly aware of the need to play an active role in tackling greater societal challenges, and sitting on the sidelines is no longer a viable option if they want to remain competitive. In a manifesto published by Harvard Business Review, Paul Polman, former Unilever CEO, and Andrew Winston, a consultant and author, call this a “net-positive” approach to business in which the company “improves wellbeing for everyone it impacts and at all scales — every product, every operation, every region and country, and for every stakeholder, including employees, suppliers, communities, customers, and even future generations and the planet itself.”
The pre-pandemic status quo simply doesn’t cut it anymore, and leaders need to reconsider how they use their organization’s culture and values to drive business decisions.
“We recognize that the workforce we’re dealing with is totally different,” said Trina Bediako, CEO of New Horizons Baking Co., during a workforce panel at BEMA Convention 2022. “We could decide to do things as we always have, and then we won’t have anybody working on the lines.”
All that change has prompted New Horizons to reassess its mission, vision and values to be crystal clear on where the company needs to be and what it needs to do to get there.
Many organizations are doing the same, and reevaluation comes at a critical time when employee engagement in the US remains in a slump. In 2021, engaged full- and part-time employees dropped to 34% — down from 36% the previous year — the first annual decline in a decade, according to Gallup.
The downward trend continued into early 2022, as 32% of full- and part-time employees reported being engaged. What’s more, 17% — up one point from last year — say they are actively disengaged.
Building a highly connected workforce isn’t just good for morale; it’s also good for business. According to Gallup, companies with engaged workers have 23% higher profit compared to those with despondent workers. They also see significantly lower absenteeism, turnover and accidents, in addition to greater customer loyalty.
If organizations aren’t proactive about making changes to engage employees, their workforce will look elsewhere. It’s a competitive market for job seekers, and according to Mintel, three in 10 workers are likely to look for a new job in the next year.
So, what can be done? Using company values as the guidepost of all decision making is key. But it’s not enough to put up a poster with inspirational words like “integrity,” “collaboration” and “respect” in the break room, and then expect workers to feel like they have value and ownership in the organization. In fact, a recent Gallup poll revealed that only four in 10 employees strongly agree that the mission or purpose of their organization makes them feel their job is important.
To build trust, employees need to see that mission lived out daily through its leaders. Managers can’t just talk the talk. They must walk the walk.
Trina Bediako | CEO | New Horizons Baking Co.
Proper onboarding, training and mentorship, along with allowing people to bring their authentic selves to the workplace, are key factors in employee retention.
“When you don’t have a strong foundation of values, or a culture that truly permeates outside of the headquarters, you’re just going to run into challenges,” said Alexis Gilbert, Dawn Foods’ senior director, global brand and communications. “Your customers, your team members, they’re going to feel it. They’re going to see it, and you will lose credibility.”
Gilbert said that for Dawn Foods, team members adhering to and living the company values of relationships, optimism, integrity, passion and process is non-negotiable. But she also acknowledged that those values have to be backed up with action; otherwise, they’re just empty words. Trust in values-based leadership requires consistency. “If you’re not living up to [your values], you’re losing trust of your team, you’re losing trust of your suppliers, you’re losing trust of your customers,” she added. “It’s not great for business, and you’re going to very quickly see the impact of operating without that standard in place.”
Dawn Foods is living out its values by placing a premium on feedback. The company offers a 24-hour Speak-Up hotline, operated by an independent third party, where customers, suppliers, vendors and team members can share concerns, voice opinions or offer suggestions.
“Not everyone communicates in the same way,” Gilbert said. “We want to make sure — regardless of your comfort or ability, or whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, or someone who speaks up in every meeting or someone who sits back and listens — that your opinion and your ideas matter.”
During the pandemic, the company also stepped up its frequency of global all-hands meetings for its widespread workforce and leadership focus meetings for the top 50 to 60 leaders in the organization. In an October 2021 episode of the American Bakers Association’s Bake to the Future podcast, Dawn CEO Carrie Jones-Barber emphasized the need for strong, clear messaging during these connection points.
“We’ve got a real responsibility for those leaders to share with their teams
what the lay of land is and where we’re going to ensure everyone understands,” Jones-Barber said. “We talk a lot about our vision and our mission and our culture.”
Bediako underscored that point by articulating the importance of understanding and embodying the company’s values at a leadership level.
“If our leaders don’t know the message, then our employees don’t get the message,” Bediako said. “Leaders direct the culture, the culture directs the behavior, and the behavior directs the results.”
Some leaders are thinking outside the box to cultivate a mission-driven culture. At St. Louis-based Companion Baking, using unconventional metrics to drive values-based performance has been a helpful way to motivate employees. For example, one of the company’s key initiatives is waste reduction. Founder Josh Allen and his team established a trash efficiency metric, which is sales divided by pounds of trash to measure success. As a result, the company has reduced its trash by 1 million lbs. “We needed to create some metrics that people can get excited about,” Allen said. “And people have gotten excited about trash and its reduction. Obviously, it feels good to throw less stuff away. Folks that take pride in what they do don’t enjoy generating waste. So, to be able to drive that number in the right direction has had a very positive impact on morale, and really ignited passion in the craft.”
Tapping into the social and environmental issues workers feel passionate about brings about alignment and makes employees feel invested in the work that they’re doing. Gilbert said many new initiatives and resources have been brought about by asking team members what they value and what’s important to them.
“People are looking for organizations that represent the things that represent themselves,” she said.
In thinking about values-based management strategies, leaders need to invest in the growth and development of their employees’ careers. Strong onboarding, coaching and mentorship are all key components to the retention puzzle. Allen said his company is focused on setting employees up for success through onboarding and mentorship programs that build upon the company’s mission and values, including a buddy system for new employees and a career development matrix for more tenured employees.
“We want to give them a sense of ownership in their own path and their own development,” he said. “That’s the best way to get folks to stick around and want to stay.”
But it’s also critical to take a 360-degree view of employees and take more into consideration than just their careers. The pandemic exacerbated the already blurring lines between work and personal life, and according to Gallup, fewer than one in four US employees feel strongly that their organization cares about their wellbeing. That’s the lowest in nearly a decade.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are ways to support employees more holistically. In a recent company-wide Pride Month campaign, Dawn Foods invited employees to finish the sentence “Inclusion is…” and share
and that downward trend continued at 32% in early 2022.
34%
Source: Gallup
their statements with colleagues around the globe. To meet employees where they were, the company activated the initiative digitally and in-person at facilities where digital communication isn’t the norm so leadership could facilitate engagement from all the different team members.
Gilbert said she was “blown away” by how many employees participated and how open and honest team people chose to be.
“Collectively, we are Dawn, and individually we have such unique experiences and perspectives that make us who we are,” she said. “That diversity drives innovation. It drives differing opinions, and that opens up great questions and discussions.”
It’s worth noting that for DEI programs to be effective, leaders must communicate clearly and follow through on their promises. “When it comes to DEI, your leadership team all needs to be walking the walk, with everybody saying the same thing,” Bediako said. “It needs to come from the top down so your employees see that you’re serious about diversity, equity and inclusion. And all your managers or your supervisors, everybody on leadership is showing that and those initiatives; without it, it’s not going to work.”
If the pandemic has taught the baking industry anything, it’s that flexibility is key to staying relevant and finding success in the face of unforeseen obstacles. The future will always be full of ambiguity, and the successful companies will be those that respond quickly when confronted with change.
“Culture is never done being built,” Gilbert said. “It’s something that lives and breathes. And as people come in and out of an organization, we have to be open to new ideas. If we ask for feedback, we have to listen.” CB
Chris Lewis | CEO | LEWIS
Taste of a Changing World
In a time of multifaceted disruption, flavor trends are a complex proposition for product developers.
BY BELLA FOOTE
So far, 2022 has bestowed polarizing politics, post-pandemic alterations, skyrocketing inflation rates, supply chain disruption and a war with a ripple effect on virtually every business sector. It’s a difficult time for consumers to settle into a routine in this undulating climate, and it’s even harder for brands to understand — let alone predict — buying behavior as they estimate costs and potential innovation during a time of unprecedented social, political and economic change.
People have turned to food as an outlet. It serves as a source of comfort, a medium for exploration and a means for change. They’ve looked outward in their search for new and exotic flavors as they seek out lesser-known international cuisines.
But they have also looked inward as they uncover how their food choices impact their health — mental and physical. This is an exciting time for flavor innovation as consumers seek to discover all they can about food, demanding authenticity through nuanced, unique flavors.
Before one can interpret and identify flavor trends, it is essential to understand modern consumer behavior. Why are consumers becoming more adventurous? What is behind health-conscious buying habits? And how are cost and supply chain issues influencing these behaviors?
One dominant behavior is healthconscious consumption and a trend toward healthy lifestyles. However, the focus is not on diet trends. In fact, only one in four American adults claim to be on a diet, as reported by The NPD Group, a global market information company.
“Consumers are putting a greater emphasis on a holistic approach to food and using it as a way to express themselves,” said Kathy Sheehan, SVP of trend research firm Cassandra. The focus is not only on what’s good for their physical health but also what’s good for their mental health … with an added benefit if it’s healthy for the planet, too.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, consumers gravitated toward eating indulgent foods as a form of comfort. But stress-driven comfort food purchases are not likely to sustain the same growth seen during the pandemic, as Mintel reported that 53% of consumers would like to take better care of their health moving forward.
A Dawn Foods 2021 Flavor Trends report found that in this post-pandemic world, “consumers are seeking out food and beverages that deliver both great taste and functional ingredients aimed at helping their overall health.”
And within the sweet baked goods sector, T. Hasegawa’s Food and Beverage Flavor Trends report found that 39% of consumers are motivated to buy because of healthier ingredients.
According to a Mintel study from 2021, nearly three in five (58%) moms — often known as the purchasing decision-makers — are seeking more snacks with functional benefits.
How does this impact flavor profiles? Within the dessert and confection category, consumers want to see more naturally sweetened products with ingredients like real fruit, honey and agave. Additionally, consumer interest in baked desserts with lighter textures such as whipped and airy desserts vastly outweighs dense, thick-textured indulgences, indicating a trend away from the previously popular indulgent treat
Kathy Sheehan | SVP | Cassandra
market. Seasonal fruit flavors and lighter citrus notes are also very popular.
Some examples of naturally sweetened, better-for-you baked goods on the market include Lenny & Larry’s Strawberry Shortcake Cookie, a vegan cookie packed with protein, fiber, non-GMO ingredients and natural sweeteners. This was quickly followed by the launch of Tastykake’s Banana Pudding Creme Glazed Pie, which takes a fruit-forward approach that merges classic flavors with banana and citrus.
The pandemic caused many people to incorporate immunity-boosting nutrients into their daily intake. According to another Dawn Foods report, six out of 10 consumers are increasingly looking for foods to support their immune health. Ingredients like turmeric, citrus fruits and probiotics have been welcome additions to product profiles, lending dynamic flavor and nutritional benefits to baked goods.
This trend is taking form in products like Lenny & Larry’s The BOSS! Immunity Bar, full of plant protein and probiotics, as well as Smart Baking Company’s Smartcake, which has been recently reformulated to include 100% of the daily recommended vitamin C intake.
Consumers are seeking out tastes that intermingle sweet with unexpected flavors. McCormick’s latest Flavor Forecast predicts that as more consumers move away from overly sweet indulgences, experimentation will reshape the notion. People want a balance with savory, smokey and spicy that yields unique, innovative complexities within the baked goods market.
Karen Getz, founder and president of New England-based specialty cracker company Maine Crisp, described her success in layering sweet and savory.
“What our consumers appreciate is a more nuanced flavor,” she said. “Not an overwhelming single flavor, but something that can pair well with other food.” Maine Crisp’s most recent variety, Savory Fig and Thyme, was a result of customer demand for savory, dairy-free crisps. Today, it’s the company’s most popular flavor.
Unfamiliarity can be a barrier to new flavors, though. A study from T. Hasegawa noted that 45% of consumers will be more likely to try a new cuisine if it is similar to one they’re familiar with. One way to encourage new flavor exploration is to present them through a recognizable medium. For example, healthier versions of chips are becoming increasingly popular, with variations
—Below
Healthier versions of chips, often in a crisp form, are becoming increasingly popular better-for-you snacks.
Ube, a sweet purple yam, is commonly used in Asian cuisine. With its distinct coloring and with a nutty, vanilla taste, ube has grown into an international powerhouse flavor.
such as Sea Salt & Lime Chickpea Tortilla Chips by Hippeas and Cassava Chips by Turbana.
This “familiar foods with a twist” trend saw dramatic growth at the Specialty Food Association (SFA)’s Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City, which highlighted tens of thousands of specialty food and beverage products.
Trends are pointing to consumers seeking out comforting treats as a coping mechanism during the pandemic. The Summer Fancy Food Show saw those same comfort-food trends. However, many now come with an updated twist that balances nostalgic favorites with something new, according to one Dawn Foods report. These days, “something new” often means functional benefits.
“Consumers’ pursuit of comforting foods with a slight twist in flavor, ingredients and nutritional benefits will drive the majority growth of the $170.4 billion specialty food industry in 2022,” according to SFA’s Trendspotter Panel. For example, Unbelievabuns’ hamburger buns made with antioxidant-packed and fiber-rich sunflower flour, and pancake and waffle mix made with Amasar’s protein and vitamin-loaded breadfruit flour were just two of the standout products at the show.
Identifying a yearning for a return to classic flavors, woman-owned company Soozy’s Grain-Free recently launched Birthday Cake Donuts. The gluten-free donuts are sweetened with organic coconut sugar and maple syrup, free of refined sugar, processed ingredients and artificial colors.
Many consumers will be more willing to try new flavors if they are presented in a familiar way. And that’s not exclusive to functional foods; it’s a popular way for any consumer to expand their culinary palate, regardless of their dietary preferences.
For example, many Asian ingredients and flavors are not yet a part of mainstream consumer culture outside of traditional Chinese cuisine. This presents a great opportunity for Asian fusion concepts — merging familiar flavors with foreign ones —or introducing new flavors within a familiar format. One such brand, Yishi Foods, introduced a variety of Asianinspired oatmeal flavors with functional benefits to the breakfast aisle, finding success in flavors like Red Bean Berry Oatmeal and Taro Bubble Tea Oatmeal. As consumers experience new flavor sensations, the oatmeal base lends a blanket of comfort.
People crave adventure by way of flavor after years of being deprived of the ability to travel globally during the pandemic. However, consumers are no longer demanding flavors from the wellknown cuisines such as Italy, Mexico and China — those that have captivated tastebuds for decades. In contrast, some of the fastest-growing flavor concepts in the US are Asian and South American, including inspiration from India, Korea, Argentina, Vietnam and Brazil, according to Datassential’s Fastest-Growing Restaurant Concepts report.
Younger consumers show the most interest in these emerging cuisines. The latest Dawn Foods report suggests that as this generation matures — and gains spending power — brands should focus on infusing international and regional flavors into snack foods to differentiate and convey authenticity.
“I’m noticing more differentiation between southern and northern Indian cuisine and the specific spices used,” said Monica Saxena, owner and manager of aRoqa, a popular Indian restaurant in New York City. “It’s great to see people recognizing the regional varieties that I enjoyed while growing up.”
Spices used in international fare are becoming more mainstream as well. Mintel’s Trending on US Menus: Baked Goods report revealed that many consumers are taking notice of international spices that offer a dynamic, rich flavor profile. Some examples include Indian garam masala and Korean gochugaru.
Dallas-based potato chip brand Green Sahara introduced consumers to international spices by offering a range of salty snacks seasoned with African spice blends, differentiating between East African barbeque chili and the savory spices of North Africa.
In its 2022 Flavor Flash report, T. Hasegawa identified Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors as particularly popular with products like shawarma, harissa, peri-peri and za’atar gaining popularity over the past year. Maine Crisp also plans to release a new Olive & Za’atar Spiced Crisp soon.
Fruit flavors from Asia and Latin America are also becoming increasingly popular in desserts and confections. Of such flavors, one Mintel study reports that lychee, yuzu, dragon fruit and ube — common in Asian cuisine — are poised for growth within the category.
Among these flavor trends, an underlying behavior persists: Consumers are increasingly shopping for baked goods that fall within the handcrafted, specialty and artisan categories. Despite the rising food costs brought on by inflation, people are still willing to pay a premium for artisan baked goods.
“The specialty, artisan food market has prospered amid two difficult years, with [the] latest research showing specialty continues to grow at a faster rate than all food,” said Denise Purcell, VP of content and education at SFA.
For bakery and snack brands, one question remains: How long will consumers maintain their baked goods buying habits? As inflation shows no signs of slowing, many consumers may think about choosing private-label products to keep costs down.
“With consumers being so sensitive to pricing, we have seen a shift to privatelabel products in grocery stores,” said Tim Grzebinski, clinical insights principal at IRI Worldwide. “But this has not yet happened in the baking aisle. One thing we know for sure is that people do not want to sacrifice quality.”
That said, as inflation prices plague consumers, brands must seek out that balance between superior flavor and dollar value.
It’s not just inflation vexing the baking industry. Supply chain disruption still impacts product availability, forcing many brands to prioritize their flavors or terminate those in lesser demand.
Some of the fastest growing [flavor] concepts in the US are Asian and South American, including India, Korea, Argentina, Vietnam and Brazil.
Source: Datassential’s Fastest-Growing Restaurant Concepts report
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“When we look at bread and rolls, the assortment is down,” Grzebinski said. “The supply chain is impacting assortment and variety. Add inflation to that, and if there are lines that aren’t as profitable, brands are walking away from those products.”
Some of the most prominent supply chain barriers and inflation rate factors are the results of the war in Ukraine.
“Russia is a huge exporter of grain,” Grzebinski said. “Even if certain countries don’t source from there, it’s a demand on US supply and it has a huge impact on cost.”
According to the World Bank’s Food Security Update reported as of June 16, the Agricultural Price Index is 14% higher compared to January 2022. Additionally, maize and wheat prices were up by 27% and 37%, respectively, compared to January 2022.
Several countries are limiting sugar exports as well, representing one of the latest obstacles for the baking industry. India, the world’s second-largest sugar producer and top sugar consumer, recently announced it would be implementing a cap to maintain domestic availability and price stability, according to Business Insider.
Political threats, economic disruption and natural disasters have always posed great risk to the global supply chain, and the pandemic exposed those vulnerabilities. Robert Berg, founder of Iridescent Data and industry partner to Emerge CPG, mused on the potential benefits of a supply chain revolution where local markets become more important, transportation costs are reduced and larger retailers call on smaller brands for white-label products. “We need to be able to rethink how the local space allows for that,” Berg said.
This is not to suggest that a supply chain system would benefit from entirely local and domestic sourcing but could better emphasize the benefits of supporting local food systems. Thriving local, decentralized supply chains decrease dependence on imports that are subject to global fluctuation; create greater food security; and promote seasonal, sustainable food procurement practices.
As supply chain issues continue, sourcing local ingredients has eased the burden on bakers.
Local supply chains surely work for smaller brands such as Maine Crisp.
“We source locally, so we haven’t been as impacted by supply chain disruption,” Getz said. “Maine is a state with trees — and we have paper plants here — so our cartons are locally printed.”
In addition, sustainability within food is a major trend that’s captured consumers’ hearts. Holistically healthy consumption practices also consider planetary health, and a shift toward seasonal consumption methods is on the rise. Approximately 36% of consumers are motivated to purchase a sweet baked good based on seasonal flavors, according to T. Hasegawa’s Food Flavor Trends report.
As sustainability becomes more mainstream, the demand for seasonal ingredients will be sure to increase. Stone fruit in the summer, squash in the fall, and rhubarb in the spring can serve as a source of new flavor inspiration. Could a return to sustainable supply chains and a renewed focus on long-ignored and neglected flavors offer new flavor innovation in this constantly changing world? Only time will tell. For now, the flavor trends currently emerging from these global disruptions are making waves in a positive way. CB
