Baking&Snack - April 2012 - 22

news
Waging the war of dried fruits
Call it the battle of Craisins versus raisins. Last summer, Ocean Spray, LakevilleMiddleboro, MA, declared war on raisins with a marketing campaign aimed to overtake raisins in dried fruit snack sales with the company’s Craisin product, dried cranberries. The company focused its attacks on taste and health, saying that in a side-by-side taste test, Craisins would easily conquer raisins and that Craisins deliver the same health benefits as the cranberries from which they come. The California Raisin Marketing Board did not take the Craisin threat lightly, and it’s now investing $1.5 million in a counter-campaign and establishing a base for counterattacks in a new website, www.letskeepitreal.com. In a consumer atmosphere hyper aware of all natural products and ingredients, health and over-processing, the California Raisin Marketing Board (CRMB)’s counterattacks online seems a sure victory in the battle for health. On its new website, the board uncovers the “hidden truth” about Craisins — that they are overly processed with added sugars. Comparing that fact with naturally processed raisins with no added sugar elicits a strong response from health-conscious consumers. “Consumers are shocked and disappointed that the sugar-added products give such poor nutrition,” said Larry Blagg, CRMB’s senior vice-president of marketing, about the board’s consumer survey results. “Most consumers were simply unaware of the amount of added sugar in Craisins.” Ocean Spray hasn’t backed down, however, and doesn’t intend to. “The California raisin industry is trying to deflect from their concern that consumers might think Craisins Dried Cranberries taste better by subliminally implying that raisins somehow have less sugar and are more nutritious than Craisins, when that’s not the case,” said Sharon Newcomb, marketing communications specialist, Ocean Spray. According to the company, Craisins win any contest in taste while still delivering antioxidants and urinary tract health and remaining free of fat, cholesterol, trans fat and preservatives. Ms. Newcomb responded to accusations of added sugars saying that Craisins and raisins carry the same amount of sugar, and that the human body does not recognize a difference in added and naturally occurring sugars.

Puratos personalizes new website

Japan wins Bakery World Cup

Puratos, Cherry Hill, NJ, launched a new website, www.puratos.us. It offers bakers, chocolatiers and food developers ideas for incorporating trends, recipes and new technology. The website will also feature videos, demonstrations and a tour of the Sensobus, a marketing research tool. The company allows visitors to personalize the site with My Puratos, a section where visitors can save information and searches and personalize their Puratos homepage.
Puratos

The team of bakers from Japan won the 2012 Bakery World Cup at Europain in Paris, France. The US team placed second, and Taiwan won third place. The finals of the competition brought together 12 teams vying in four categories: baguettes and world breads, savory presentation (a new addition), Viennese pastries, and an artistic piece. The theme for the artistic piece was “bread, symbol of your country.”
Lesaffre - Clémentine Béjat and Sabine Serrad

Technomic

of consumers say they snack at least twice a day, compared with

in 2010.
www.bakingandsnack.com

/ Baking & Snack / April 2012

http://www.letskeepitreal.com http://www.puratos.us http://www.bakingandsnack.com

Baking&Snack - April 2012

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