Baking and Beyond: Keeping ahead of Baking Trends
In the world of baking, we’ll always need the classics – even in the modern world, consumers simply can’t live without a simple – but excellent – loaf of bread. In South Africa, our more conservative marketplace thrives on tradition and familiarity, but is exposed to increasingly more global flavours and innovations. What does this mean for our industry?
Firstly, we need to embrace this change, and experiment with our existing output in a costeffective and responsible way. As is happening globally, we can bake breads and pastries in new shapes and sizes, change the consumer experience and subvert expectation by moving between sweet and savoury, and even put hybrid bakes out for trial, in the spirit of multiflour breads, cruffins and cronuts!
But beyond that, what is happening internationally in 2019 that we can leverage to our best advantage?
Although still very niche in Europe, vegetable breads are an interesting way for bakers to tap into the burgeoning of positive nutrition. Using brightly coloured veggies, such as carrot or beetroot, makes the vegetable content more tangible and helps to provide an overall flavour boost. Better-for-you bakes are becoming increasingly important as consumers trial diets that require higher intake of proteins and vegetables. As health-related needs are growing, many bread producers are shifting portions of their ranges towards positive nutrition in the hope of connecting with health-conscious consumers. As an example, Hovis has introduced a range of breads in the UK said to contain added wheat protein and fibre, and some commercial bakeries are delivering products with higher wholewheat and fibre content with additional fruit and nuts to appeal to this market, while maintaining their core everyday offering for the mass market.
Among the more innovative trends on the global baking scene is personalisation, in which consumers can design their own perfect bread by choosing their favourite flours or dough mixes, or adding extra ingredients like nuts, fruits or herbs. The baker then bakes this, so the customer can take home his very own freshly baked bread.
How about mini pastries? These bite-sized treats are becoming far more popular than ever before – offering consumers all the taste of their favourites with less guilt, and at a better pricepoint! It’s important to note that these days, even while they’re looking for an authentic sensory experience only a bakery can deliver, most consumers buy their baked goods in a supermarket or similar environment. Remember that freshness and taste are the consumer’s most important factors for repeat purchase – so no matter how you’re innovating and trendsetting, be sure to use Supreme flours and prepared mixes for consistently outstanding results, time after time!