STORY: New Delifrance bread report 'unlocks opportunities' for bakers

The brand new report from Delifrance, Prove It: Unlocking the Category Opportunities, A Bread Focus, has been compiled to help the category identify new and emerging opportunities. 

To compile it, Delifrance partnered with food trend experts Lisa Harris and Alexandra Hayes, of Harris and Hayes.

"Bread won the hearts and minds of the nation over the past year, as baking became a popular pastime for locked-down consumers. It is no wonder, then, that almost threequarters of British households buy bread at least weekly, with some 70% of consumers saying their consumption of bakery products hasn’t changed during the pandemic.

Most people (80%) buy both packaged bread and bread from in-store bakeries, with in-store
bakeries being the main source of bread for almost a third of households (31%).
Taste is key, with 95% of consumers saying it’s in their top three reasons for buying bread.
And almost half (49%) say it’s the number one reason why they buy a particular type
of bread.

Bread is also many things, sometimes to the same consumer. While the popularity of core
white, brown and wholemeal loaves prove bread is a staple, diners also opt for more
premium or indulgent options – including sourdough, tiger bread and rye – at the weekend.

There is also more appetite for bread with inclusions and bakes that use alternative flours,
as people look to bakery for functional reasons. Interestingly, of those looking for more
health benefits in their bread, almost a fifth (17%) want more vitamins/nutrients and 14%
desire more cereals, grains and dried fruits. The same number would like breads that are
more digestible.

These findings point to the evolving nature of health and wellness as consumers look to add
more nutritious ingredients to their diet. Indeed, health and wellness also comes into
sustainability as consumers look for clean labels and fewer additives. Elsewhere in sustainability,
packaging innovation and avoiding waste are also on the agenda.

Indulgence continues to be an important trend as consumers look for speciality breads,
particularly at the weekend or when they have guests. There is also some overlap between
indulgence and health and wellness, in the form of a treat or pick-me-up.

Like so many industries, grocery retail and foodservice have evolved over the past year and
we expect concerns around hygiene to continue, as well as the consumer quest for added
value. Takeaway, subscription and meal kits have become commonplace, and our trends
experts Harris & Hayes believe we will continue to see innovations in these areas.
In terms of day parts, breakfast and lunch are the key consumption occasions for bread,
leaving plenty of opportunities for retailers and foodservice operators to tap into other
occasions, including snacking.

Future bread consumption will be driven by freshness, quality and convenience, as
consumers look for good value core staples as well as breads that can answer their evolving
health and wellness needs – whether that is through functionality or sustainability."

For more information or to download the full report, go to www.delifrance.com/uk/