News and Trends

Source: Barry Callebaut ZURICH, SWTZERLAND  — Barry Callebaut has dived into what consumer preferences will dictate the chocolate markets in 2024. Trends include ”intense indulgence," “mindful indulgence,” and “healthy indulgence.” Barry Callebaut sees consumers responding in two ways to the rise in the price of chocolate during the past few years. Fifty-four percent still prefer to purchase premium, high-quality chocolate. Even with higher prices, consumers are still choosing to treat themselves with small luxury items like chocolate. Among Barry Callebaut’s 11,974 survey participants in August 2023, 74% said they want to try new chocolate experiences, and 65% of consumers prefer chocolate confectionery that has multiple textures. Unique, rare and seasonal chocolate, like limited editions, are all drivers of the types of chocolate consumers are seeking. Seventy percent of consumers want unique, exciting chocolate with multiple flavors and textures. Fifty percent will buy limited ...

Source: Baker & Baker More than half of foodservice and retail businesses have reported a drop in sales of fresh sweet baked goods in the last year, new research has revealed. Around 250 UK businesses, including bakeries, convenience stores, higher education caterers, pubs, and coffee shops, were surveyed by Sapio Research on behalf of European sweet treats supplier Baker & Baker. Findings were then published in the third edition of the Bakery Bites report series, entitled  ‘ The cost-of-living crisis and the sweet bakery category ’ . Nearly half (45%) of the businesses surveyed reported a slight decline in sweet bakery sales while 10% had experienced a significant decline. Sixty percent also noted a decrease in average spend per customer compared to the previous year, while 86% saw an increase in the number of customers switching products. Premium bakery lines are among those to be swapped out by shoppers as 63% of businesses surveyed said they have seen a decrea...

 Namnews,  22nd November 2023 By Edward Betts, General Manager – Retail Lead Europe, at  Retail Express , a provider of merchandising solutions and services for retail, wholesale and CPG manufacturers. Recent headlines point to market improvement, but retailers understand that reality, for most, has not yet fully caught up. The rate of inflation is declining, but unlikely to reach a target of 2% before at least 2025. Food inflation has dropped from a peak of around 17% to a more manageable 11%, yet the still-diminished spending appetite of squeezed customers dictates that overall growth has not necessarily followed. In many cases, retailers continue to suffer volume decline, with only discounters seeing any appreciable level of volume growth. For most retailers, this means the difficult times are not yet over. The supermarket model is built on volume, so any amount of negative growth means a dip in turnover. The challenge for 2024, as a sluggish market struggles to regain...

Our Cafés & Bakeries 2023 menuwatching report is now live, and it's full of rich content on trending flavours, formats, cuisines and more. Cafés and Bakeries are a regular sight on any high street, selling freshly bakes goods alongside tea, coffee and other beverages. Catering for breakfast, brunch, lunch and increasingly converting to a bar and dinner in the evening too. This diversity often leads to an equally creative menu - something we've explored in this latest report. Although only a small growth, there has been an annual rise YOY of 0.2% of new Cafés and Coffee Shops opening. According to British Baker the out of home bakery market has stabilised since the pandemic, in 2022 the total market was £10.5bn, 9.8% ahead of 2019 and looks likely to grow in 2023. We've pulled three key takeouts from the Cafés & Bakeries 2023 menuwatching report, each listed below: 1. Fine Dining (ish).  Cafés & Bakeries are taking inspiration from the Fine Dining world, using mo...

Consumer demand for nostalgic foods will be a significant driver for flavor and product development in 2024, according to the foodservice category market research firm Datassential. Identified as a key trend in the company’s annual FoodBytes trend report, Datassential expects popular nostalgic applications will include pickle-flavored offerings and re-imaginings of classic 1990s cocktails like espresso martinis, which have become one of the fastest-growing menu items in the last 12 months. The interest in reviving childhood favorites also has led to an uptick in product launches featuring the peanut butter and jelly flavor. “As Millennials, Gen X and Boomers longingly look back to a rose-colored past amid continued worries, while Gen Z experiences some of these trends for the first time, brands should dive into the archives for ideas,” Datassential said. “If you have a concept that resonates with nostalgic consumers, challenge yourself to find a way to bring it back in 2024.” Another t...

 Namnews  4th December 2023 M&S Food is significantly extending its supply deal with Irish forecourt operator Applegreen. Since an initial agreement was struck  last year , M&S Food ‘shop-in-shops’ have been rolled out to five Applegreen sites across Ireland, offering fruit, sandwiches and salads, dinner for tonight and a selection of other M&S lines, alongside Applegreen’s own product range. The two companies have now signed a new 10-year agreement that will add up to 60 more M&S Food units to Applegreen’s forecourt stores. Applegreen plans to open 15 of the M&S Food sites by the end of 2024 in counties such as Louth, Meath, and Limerick, with other locations to be announced throughout the year. The two businesses have also been piloting a new click & collect service at four of the forecourt operator’s stores, which allows shoppers who buy clothing from M&S and have it delivered free of charge to Applegreen locations. Fiona Matthews, Managing ...

Pursuing value over price Amid the cost-of-living crisis, consumers prioritize quality over quantity, favoring long-lasting, premium items. To foster brand loyalty, companies should invest in such offerings. Consumers look for long-lasting as opposed to fast and cheap especially for bags and accessories: 35% and 36% of consumers buy premium in shoes category and clothing category respectively. But only 16% prefer premium in food and 20% in cosmetics/body care. Sustainability is back in the spotlight Ethical spending prioritizes sustainability even in challenging times, making it crucial for brands to invest in eco-friendly practices to appeal to socially conscious consumers. Sustainability is now a necessity when thinking about product and brand positioning. With over 40% of consumers open to paying extra for sustainable food and drink, and around 1 in 3 consumers willing to do the same for sustainable beauty and personal care, home and laundry, as well as apparel and footwear items. K...