Baking&Snack - July 2012 - 44

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

“I want fresh, but fresh is a hassle,” Mr. Balzer said, speaking for the consumer. “Fresh, by definition, means I have to do something frequently. It means I have to buy it frequently, use it frequently and

schedule my life around using it before it goes stale.” Instead of investing in fresh ingredients, consumers turn to fast food, casual dining and other food service outlets simply out of conve-

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Both products purchased at supermarkets and have not been altered in any way. Photos have not been retouched.

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nience. Instead of going to a supermarket and buying a whole loaf of bread — which they may not use entirely — consumers willingly pay a premium for restaurants to make sandwiches for them. “Some of the best-scoring restaurant chains in America are those that offer cold-cut sandwiches, and that’s not lost on anyone,” Mr. Balzer said. In a category as large, diverse and pervasive as bread, trends emerge when someone stands out from the competition — whether it’s through product differentiation, adding value or making consumers’ and customers’ lives easier. The versatility of the sandwich and the opportunity for creativity mean bakers can offer the food service industry ways to make the sandwich more exciting with new bread options. Consumers can be adventurous with their foods, especially ones that dominate people’s lives like bread and the sandwich, Mr. Balzer noted. They are willing to explore and try new products. So, to keep consumers interested in such a large category, bakers should have a bit of fun creating new breads ordeveloping different sandwich applications for those varieties of bread that have been around longer. In the food service arena, mini-slider rolls, hoagies, flatbreads, crusty breads, herb-flavored products or other alternatives are stealing sales away from sliced bread, particularly white bread, according to Wade Hanson, director of research and consulting, Technomic, Inc. Bakers need keep their bread offerings diverse to help their food service customers develop signature sandwiches that differentiate them from their competitors, according to Mr. Balzer. “If you would like to make just a plain loaf of white bread, good luck,” he said. In a category driven by novelty, bakers must be

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