Following on from the publication of the sweet bakery cost-of-living report by Baker & Baker, the European bakery manufacturer has issued top tips and guidance on how businesses can remain competitive during these challenging times.
The standout finding in the report was that it can “no longer be business as usual” for bakeries, food service operators and retailers, as only one in five consumers felt their spending hasn’t changed because of the cost-of-living crisis; meaning the majority have.
With that in mind, the company has developed the following guidance for bakeries feeling the pinch.
This advice includes demand-led baking – batch baking from scratch means a fixed number of products must be baked regardless of consumer demand. Baking from frozen pucks or part-baked products and supplementing with thaw and serve goods, means only the number required by the bakery are baked off/defrosted, which helps to reduce waste and to keep an eye on the bottom line.
Any food waste can be utilised, in the company’s advice ‘Turn waste into wow’ – often a missed opportunity, using offcuts in other recipes such as toppings on other baked goods including doughnuts, brownies and cookies can create a ‘wow factor’ and help products stand out in store.
Ger creative advises uses products in different ways – a cookie puck being baked as a traditional cookie or included as part of a hot ice cream dessert – sacrifice size rather than quality looks to reduce the product size to hit price point, and stay familiar – keep to familiar flavours, as research has shown when money is limited, consumers are less willing to try new products for fear they might not like them, and have wasted their money.
“The research indicated that it can no longer be business as usual for bakeries, food service operators and retailers,” explained Helen Sinclair, UK Marketing Manager at Baker & Baker. “The top tips are a mixture of quick-wins and longer-term considerations to help operators remain competitive during these challenging times.”
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Editor, International Bakery
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