Baking&Snack - July 2013 - 40

MID-YEAR REPORT

Old World
Breads Rise

Foodservice operators venture
outside of the conventional bun
in more ways than one.

by Monica Watrous, Food Business News

Step aside, sesame-seed bun. Take a seat, Texas toast.
The top-growing breads on restaurant menus offer
a twist on tradition, adding texture and excitement to
standard sandwiches. With Old World inspiration and
artisanal appeal, pretzel bread, brioche and flatbreads
are on the rise.
“QSR and fast-casual operators are looking to make
standard items seem more interesting and unique
and trying to create more competitive positioning of
items without revamping the whole menu,” said Maeve
Webster, senior researcher at Datassential. “Changing
the carrier is a fairly easy change compared to other
changes you could make. It’s not necessarily disruptive
to the back of the house from a cost or handling standpoint. And you can increase the price point because it
has a more unique, artisan perception.”
The fastest growing bread between 2008 and 2012
was pretzel bread, rising at a rate of more than 79%,
according to Datassential’s US Chains & Independents
MenuTrends Database, which tracks appetizers and
entrees across all foodservice segments. Brioche climbed
nearly 75%, and flatbread grew 61% during the period.

Worth its salt
No longer limited to ballgame bleachers and neighborhood delis, pretzel bread is popping up on mainstream
menus as soft-baked sticks, bagels, frankfurter rolls and
burger buns. T.G.I. Friday’s in April launched a smallplates menu with beef-and-Swiss sliders on pretzel rolls,
and Blimpie unveiled a turkey sub on pretzel bread that
became available nationally in June. Wendy’s began testing a bacon cheeseburger on a pretzel bun in select markets at the beginning of the year.
“The pretzel bun is a real natural because it brings a
lot of these cues of Old World to an already recognizable item,” said Kara Nielsen, a trend researcher at San
Francisco-based CCD Innovation. “It has a deeper,
darker flavor, and it has a little artisanal touch to it, even
if it’s a manufactured product.”
Similarly, brioche adds an indulgent texture and premium touch to a basic BLT.

/ Baking & Snack / July 2013

“It has a very rich look and flavor profile that is
appealing and lends a premium perception to an overall
item,” Ms. Webster said. “You see brioche experiencing
strong growth during the breakfast daypart, not only as
a carrier for sandwiches but also for other applications
such as French toast.”
In April, IHOP rolled out three varieties of brioche
French toast, joining the likes of Perkin’s Restaurant,
Mimi’s Cafe and Corner Bakery that each added brioche
French toast items last year.
The rich, flaky bread is featured on dinner and dessert menus, too. Such chains as T.G.I. Friday’s and The
Cheesecake Factory serve barbecue pulled pork and
burgers on brioche buns, and Carrabba’s Italian Grill’s
limited-time items last year included a Nutella-andbanana-filled panini and a Limoncello-drizzled bread
pudding, both made with brioche.
“More and more operators are trying to get every single
ingredient to work for them across as many applications
and platforms as they can,” Ms. Webster said. “Bread can
be a carrier for hamburgers and sandwiches or used to
create dip-style appetizers. It’s a kitchen workhorse.”
While tried-and-true wheat bread and wraps remain
most popular on menus, according to Datassential, restaurants continue to experiment with the sandwich’s
shell. Dunkin’ Donuts tested a bacon-and-egg sandwich
on a glazed donut bun this year, and Taco Bell is toying
with a sausage and egg “taco” packed in a folded waffle.
“In the foodservice sector, they’re always looking to
bring news to the sandwich space,” Ms. Nielsen said.
“There’s a continual quest for the next ciabatta.”
Ms. Nielsen said she expects to see more Old Worldinspired fare.
“We’re seeing more European and Scandinavian
seedy, nutty breads and some breads made with sprouted grains and marbled rye bread,” she said. “I think rye
bread will eventually get a little bit of a renaissance.”
Editor’s note: Get the latest new product and consumer trends all year from the industry’s leading sources at
www.foodbusinessnews.net and www.bakingbusiness.com.

http://www.foodbusinessnews.net http://www.bakingbusiness.com

Baking&Snack - July 2013

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