50 SHADES OF GRAIN

The wide variety of quality breads now available in New Zealand are not only being increasingly recognised for their flexibility as a meal solution, but for their health benefits as well.

No food item in the human diet has such an esteemed place in our history, terminology and religion as bread. Termed “the staff of life” in the Bible, it is still often referred to in those terms because it is a very basic food that supports life. When times were hard and people had no other foods, a small piece of bread could provide sufficient nourishment to keep them alive.

In more recent and prosperous times, however, bread’s reputation has suffered, mainly because of suspicions as to what ingredients were being used in it by some manufacturers, and because extreme refining to produce white bread was depriving it of much nutrition.

Few civilisations have existed for long without some form of simple bread as a staple in their diet, and its impact on history has been immense. In 18th Century France, bread was the main component of the working Frenchman’s diet, and the average worker spent half his daily wage on bread. But when the grain crops failed two years in a row, in 1788 and 1789, the price of bread shot up. Many blamed the ruling class for the resulting famine and economic upheaval, a significant factor in instigating the storming of the Bastille and the bloody revolution that shook the world.

But bread has now largely shed that reputation, with recent international trend reports suggesting most consumers are now on very good terms with the sandwich staple.

“It’s refreshing to see that bread is once again increasing in popularity amongst consumers and is no longer considered bad for you,” says Jonathan Davis, Senior Vice-President of research and development at La Brea Bakery, a business unit of Switzerland-based Aryzta. “I’d attribute this to the fact that in recent years, bakeries have been more transparent when it comes to letting consumers know which ingredients are used.”

“I think after consumers realised the process behind making certain kinds of breads, and the ingredients used, they concluded that when made correctly, bread is actually a healthy part of one’s diet,” Davis contended.

Modern dietary science is confirming this. Even the first few weeks of 2019, experts were expounding the need for many of us to increase our intake of dietary fibre in order to stay healthy. Most dieticians advise that breads, particularly those containing a high ratio of natural seeds and grains, are an excellent source of fibre.

In New Zealand we are well-served with skilled manufacturers producing a wide range of quality breads. Companies such as Farrah’s, Danny’s and Lahmajou have become innovative and reliable suppliers of a superb range of products.

Versatile wraps As consumers search more frequently for a variety of easy meal options, Wraps are one of the key grocery items they’re reaching for. While bread sales are flat, within Bakery Small Goods, Wraps are the largest sub category, worth $27.8M and growing at 4% (IRI scan data, TKA, MAT ending 30/12/18).

Farrah’s are the biggest brand in the Wraps category and it’s not a surprise why. Gone are the days of a wrap just being used as a filled wrap for lunch. Farrah’s have continued to highlight the versatility of wraps through both recipe creation and products to ensure they become a household staple in every cupboard. Consumers are time poor and actively searching for solutions to their meal challenges, which is why Farrah’s recently launched Farrah’s Italian Herb Wraps, highlighting their use as pizza bases on the front of the packaging. The uses for wraps are limitless – they make a great substitute for pastry for homemade pies and sausage rolls, folded into a pocket they make burgers into a lighter option, and many people are now using them in lasagne to replace the pasta.

In the recently published 2018 IRI Aztec state of the nation report, “Entertaining” was highlighted as an essential part of Kiwi culture, with strong growth for ingredients that make up grazing and sharing platters occurring. Many consumers already cut Farrah’s Wraps cut into crackers and bake to make healthy cracker additions to these platters.Visit www.farrahs.co.nz for tips on how to do this, along with lots more recipe ideas to try in your household.

You can find Farrah’s Wraps range in good supermarkets nationwide. New Zealand made and yeast & dairy free, Farrah’s Wraps all come with a ‘won’t crack, won’t split’ when rolled promise. RRP $5.50

Exciting new look for ABE’S ABE’S has a hole new look! “It’s been 22 years since we first introduced Kiwis to the wonder of our humble bagels,” explains spokesperson Melanie Kyle. “To celebrate, we have decided to shout ourselves a rebrand! Ok, so we are splashing out on more than just a rebrand because we also want to change the way we look, feel and act. Come on, who doesn’t dream of doing that from time-to-time?

“So, what’s changing? We have a lively new colour scheme, hip design and funky new logo, which we love. We are going to own a unique position in the hearts and minds of our bagel community or Baglers as we like to call them. To do that we will be dialling up our brand attitude and the way we interact with them from this day forward. Feel free to watch this space for more. (Actually it’s probably better if you watch our social media channels for more.)

“We are making up for lost time with our packaging by adopting a much bolder visual proposition that serves two purposes. One is that is just looks cool. The other is that it stands out on shelf as well as anything we’ve seen. Why shouldn’t our shoppers deserve something lovely to look at?

“Our Baglers can rest assured the bagels themselves will still have the same great taste and texture due to us not changing the recipe in any

way. There is seriously no point in messing with something that is already this good.

“Now for the boring yet important stuff. If your store is not stocking ABE’S Bagels we’d love to hear from you , so please contact us via customer services on 09 527 3736.”

Authentic pita For 30 years, Danny’s Pita Bread has been baking fresh and authentic pita bread. Still free of additives, GMOs and preservatives, Danny’s prides itself on supplying Kiwis with pita bread that uses the same family recipes that have been passed down through generations, says Danny’s Sales Manager, Daniel Strom.

Leader in this category, Danny’s holds 44.9% National Supermarket share, he says. “However, in the regions of Taupo to Kaitaia (UNI) we are even stronger, enjoying 68.4% market share. This share is due to recognition from consumers that Danny’s is their preferred brand.

“The market has been very stable for the past few years; however, growth was evident in the last two quarters of 2018. Much of this is due to consumers’ awareness of the ‘No preservatives’ campaign we initiated mid-year,” Strom adds. “Of the major brands, Danny’s Pita Bread is the only one that can claim this. Danny’s Pita Breads also stand out for their perfect pocket with unbeatable strength, outstanding aroma and delicious taste.”

The company’s products are available fresh in Auckland and in long life packs nationwide. With nine SKUs in the range, Strom says the garlic pita bread is easily the top selling product. The remaining SKUs all sell at a similar rate.

The mini pita variety is also very popular, especially with parents, as it is the only product size made specifically with lunchboxes in mind, he says.

“For 2019, our goal is to expand the general awareness of pita to the wider bread market. You can use pita bread for so many things. Pita allows for more flexibility and it saves time.”

Wholesome, ethnic flatbreads A family-owned company of Mediterranean origins, Christchurch-based Lahmajou’s rise from honest, humble beginnings to become one of New Zealand’s largest specialised flat bread manufacturers and a major supplier to the New Zealand food industry is a tale of Kiwi ingenuity and authenticity.

Giannis Michaelides set sail from Cyprus in 1966. He arrived in Christchurch with only the clothes he stood in and apparently a healthy appetite for the leavened bread his mother had taught him to make. But Giannis brought with him more than just his love of pita – he introduced to our pantries other wholesome, ethnic flatbreads from exotic lands and earlier times.

“The Giannis brand was established in 1991 and continues to go from strength to strength 28 years later,” says Sales and Marketing Manager, Simon Rangihaeata.

“Giannis produces and supplies an extensive range of Pita Bread, Wraps, Pizza Bases, Tortilla and Naan bread products available in the New Zealand market, including gluten-free options. We are always looking closely at the market and consumer trends and will continue to develop new products to meet the market, supported by an extensive marketing programme across Giannis’ social media platforms and promoted with New Zealand’s leading recipe development and marketing company, Fresh.co.nz,” he says.

“This kind of honest-to-goodness philosophy, Kiwi No. 8 wire mentality, and refusal to compromise the integrity of the products is fundamental to the way the Giannis family will continue to run the business in 2019,” says Rangihaeata.