News and Trends

Namnews, 15th December 2021 New research from Birds Eye has revealed some of the key trends and challenges that convenience retailers face within the frozen food category. The survey of 200 independent retailers, undertaken in partnership with analysts at KAM Media, confirms how demand for frozen food has continued to increase during the pandemic. 34% of retailers said they have seen increased shopper demand for frozen products over the last 12 months, with 25% of retailers intending to invest further in the frozen category during 2022 – a growth of 6% compared with last year’s survey results. The study also explored the potential barriers to expansion that many retailers face, with 39% of respondents citing insufficient space for additional freezers as the biggest challenge to growing frozen sales in their store. A large number of retailers were also found to be missing out on new consumer trends and shopper demands, with 23% sticking with the products they’ve always stocked. “2021 ha...

 Namnews,  14th December 2021 As we approach the end of another tumultuous year, Tasneem Alonzo, Joint Managing Director at Lähde by EHL Ingredients, shares her predictions on the foods we can expect to see on supermarket shelves during 2022. Escapism and experimentation, new flavour combinations, niche world cuisines, climate awareness and wellness are the key trends to look out for, coupled with a rise in informal dining, BBQ foods and nutritious ingredients. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all areas of life, and many eating, ordering, cooking, shopping and dining habits have changed dramatically. While travel was restricted, foods from faraway that offered new flavour combinations appealed to those looking for a sense of escapism. We see this as a trend that will continue into 2022 with spice blends, marinades, and seasonings from Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, South Africa, Tunisia and Georgia set to be in demand. Consumers are also enjoying Levantine f...

  Namnews, 14th December 2021 Latest industry data from NielsenIQ shows that Marks & Spencer was the fastest-growing food retailer in the UK during the 12 weeks to 4 December, providing further evidence that the group’s turnaround plan is delivering results. Interim figures from M&S last month showed sales in its food division had grown 10.7% to £3.14bn, with operating profit climbing 31% to £143.7m. The group highlighted its success in broadening the appeal of its food range with more products and family-orientated ranges. A shift towards lower prices has also helped the business gain market share as people used the retailer from bigger grocery shops. The NielsenIQ data reveals that sales at M&S rose 9.1% heading into Christmas – a traditionally strong period for the retailer as consumers treat themselves to premium food items. Lidl (+8.3%) and Aldi (+4.6%) were the only other grocery retailers to grow sales against this time last year, with other chains facing tough c...

Staying abreast of trends is critical but thankfully  British Baker   has done the hard work for you. In part two of three, we look at more of the trends likely to take the bakery world by storm in 2022:   Source: Getty Images Fibre a day Fibre will likely never be a sexy topic, but the intrinsically linked gut health has taken the wellness industry by storm. While associated with the drive for healthier HFSS-compliant products (fibre is counted favourably in the HFSS calculation), gut health and added fibre products are worthy of their own trend. “This is good news for the bakery world with all its products that are rich in fibre and/or have gut health benefits,” says Philippa Knight, marketing director at Puratos UK. In September, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) launched a new initiative to help consumers boost their fibre intake called Action on Fibre. Its research had shown that only a third of those surveyed were aware of the 30g of fibre a day rec...

Namnews, 13th December 2021 Paul Baker, the founder of the St Pierre Groupe, outlines what 2022 might look like for the food and drinks industry in general, and the bakery sector specifically: Paul Baker I recall compiling my trends forecast last year and giving a wry smile at how any forecasts for 2020 had probably long been proven wrong and that the idea of trying to predict 2021 seemed laughable. This time round, and with new restrictions being announced, the impact and aftermath of the pandemic will be felt for a long time to come. A good portion of 2021 has also been spent in and out of lockdown with various pandemic restrictions – and so the habits that we saw emerge in ‘20/’21 will be around for a good while yet. Ever the optimist though, these new habits create opportunity and that is particularly true for the food and drink industry. Premiumisation This trend isn’t going anywhere in a hurry. Consumers are still looking for ways to treat themselves well at home. The move toward...

Namnews, 13th December 2021 The grocery sector in Ireland saw sales decline by 6.4% over the 12 weeks to 28 November. However, the market share data from Kantar shows growth remains strong compared with pre-pandemic times, up 8.9% versus the same period in 2019. Emer Healy, retail analyst at Kantar, commented: “It’s important to remember that grocery sales are now being compared with last November when non-essential shops and offices were closed. But life in the latest four weeks has been very different to this time last year as the hospitality sector is open and many people are working in the office for at least part of the week. We have been buying less for meals at home and as a result, grocery sales dropped by 7.1% during the past month. “However, with new restrictions in place again from early December, we expect to see this decline soften as people spend more time around their kitchen tables in the coming weeks.” The excitement over Christmas has been slightly dampened this year ...

Namnews, 8th December 2021 Rising Covid-19 infections and news of the Omicron variant appear to be halting the recent decline in grocery sales. Data  released yesterday  by Kantar showed that sales at all the major grocery retailers in the UK fell over the 12 weeks to 28 November against tough comparatives with last year when Covid restrictions were reintroduced. The return to more normal trading conditions and consumers eating out more in recent months has also led to a weakening in demand in supermarkets from last year’s bumper figures. However, a report by analysts at investment bank Jefferies suggests people are becoming “hesitant” again about visiting pubs and restaurants, and are stocking up food at home instead. The analysts pointed to data for the four weeks to 28 November, which showed the first acceleration in growth on 2019 figures after a number of weeks of sequential slowing growth. The big four and discounters all benefitted, whilst the recent decline in online g...

  Aldi  is launching a new store concept in Belgium, in which the fresh food offer takes on an even more prominent role. The retailer is bringing the idea of the brochure to the shop floor.   Responding to customer needs Aldi will welcome its customers with a proper fresh food market at the entrance. All fresh products are displayed here: fruit and vegetables, fresh meat, fresh fish and chilled convenience products such as ready-made salads, fresh fruit juices and other prepared meals and drinks. This is the most striking innovation of the updated store concept that the discounter launched on Wednesday in Herenthout and Jodoigne.   The new concept fits in with the evolution Aldi has been undergoing for some years now: the retailer is investing heavily in fresh products, for example, by adding its own range of pre-packed meat products in all its stores and by developing a range of fruit and vegetables in bulk. "People come to the stores more often to buy fresh product...

Namnews, 7th December 2021 All the major grocery retailers in the UK saw their sales fall over the 12 weeks to 28 November against tough comparatives with last year when Covid restrictions were reintroduced. The data from Kantar also suggests that rising food prices aren’t impacting people’s desire to treat themselves over the festive period. Take home grocery sales fell by 3.8% during the period as consumers ate out more compared with 2020. However, sales remain strong compared with the market before the pandemic, and grocery spend was 7.0% higher in the latest 12 weeks than in 2019. Meanwhile, consumers appeared to be making an early start to their preparations for the Christmas period, hoping to make it extra special after the disruption last year. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, commented: “Price inflation doesn’t seem to be denting their desire to treat themselves and loved ones, and supermarket premium own-label ranges, such as Tesco Finest and Asd...

Namnews, 6th December 2021 IGD’s Shopper Confidence Index has risen for the first time since April 2021 as people prepare for Christmas. The ShopperVista research found that 61% of shoppers were looking forward to getting back to a ‘traditional’ Christmas following the dampened 2020 festivities. And with 67% believing that Christmas is a time to splash out on food and groceries, shopper confidence increased to -9 November vs -11 in October. However, despite the apparent festive cheer, shoppers were found to be increasingly concerned about food price inflation. Expectations around price increases reached an all-time high: 85% expect food and grocery prices to increase in the year ahead, and 29% expect them to get much more expensive. Other insights from the research included fewer shoppers being focused on saving money in the run-up to Christmas: 21% vs 26% October. Overall financial confidence also improved slightly, with 31% expecting to be worse off in the year ahead (-3% vs October)...

Namnews, 6th December 2021 Lidl is planning to open many more new stores in Ireland than the 20 it has already announced, with it on track to reach the 200 mark in the next two years. Under the discounter’s current development plan for the country, another three stores will open in Dublin this month, taking it to 174 sites. Speaking to the Irish Independent, Kevin Duffy, Lidl Ireland’s director of property, construction and central services, revealed that the business was in the early stages of planning and developing many more stores. “We’re not going to rest at 20 more stores,” he said. “Let’s just say, there is lots of room for expansion,” pointing to north Dublin as a key target due to a major housing development. “We will definitely break the 200-store mark in the next couple of years,” Duffy said. “There will be very aggressive expansion as the population continues to grow.” In July, Lidl announced a three-year plan for the Republic of Ireland to invest €550m in building 20 new s...

Trends are not to be underestimated. Unlike fads, they represent a wider change and, in the case of bakery, can simply offer a starting point for creativity and innovation or shake the market to its core. “Bakery might be a category with an extremely long history, but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s old-fashioned or slow-moving,” says Philippa Knight, marketing director at Puratos UK. “It’s important for all of us in this market not only to keep up with today’s trends but strive to anticipate those that are coming tomorrow.” The good news is over the next couple of weeks  British Baker  will take a deep dive into the trends likely to come out on top in 2022 and beyond. From health and wellbeing to sustainability, hybrid baked goods, nostalgic flavours and direct-to-consumer business models, we’ll explore them all and more with the help of industry thought leaders and experts. One thing’s for sure, many are optimistic about the future. “If the virus remains under control, we c...