Baking & Snack - July 2020 - 37

been a slow transition that has developed into
consumer acceptance."
So, what are the expectations in flavor innovation? If pastries are a comfort food, are people
willing to branch out and try new things, or are
they bound by what's familiar?
For Gold Standard, it's a little bit of both.
"Our path for the past year has been creating
food that has a familiarity but also provides an extra bit of adventure or excitement," Mr. Chaudary
said. "Fusion foods have been successful because it's
having something familiar and something adventurous at the exact same time."
This goes beyond adding chocolate to a blueberry
Danish, he said. True fusion innovation creates something all its own.
"We're looking at flavor combinations of fruit with a
spicy component such as habanero or jalapeño with the
sweet Danish dough," said Tami Kulak, director of marketing and sales, Gold Standard.
And the company is experimenting with product
crossover by incorporating elements of its Everything
bagel into certain laminated pastry products.
Flavor innovation is also crossing platforms - and
enjoying a bit of throwback - in the center store as
items like Pop Tarts from the Kellogg Company, Battle
Creek, Mich., introduce a Fruit Loops variety.

"SWEETS AND INDULGENT
BAKERY PRODUCTS
PROVIDE CONSUMERS
A FORM OF ESCAPE
DURING PERIODS OF
UNCERTAINTY."
David Skinner, James Skinner Baking Co.
There's also much to be said for the tried-and-true.
Mr. Vierhile noted that one of the most successful varieties emerging in the center store is cheese.
"Looking at 2017 to the end of 2019, a couple of the
top flavors are cream cheese and cheese," he said, noting that in the pastry and sweet goods categories, product innovation with cream cheese varieties saw a 36%
CAGR during that time frame.

Label readers rule the roost
Educated consumers can be a baker's worst enemies or
greatest allies. It often depends on what they're seeking
on the label. Regardless, these consumers play a key role

in pastry product development. And sometimes, trying
to meet their demands can create a double-edged sword.
"Using ingredients that are perceived to be better for
you can lessen the degree of guilt a consumer may experience," Mr. Skinner suggested. "At a certain point, though,
health claims begin working against the purchase as consumers perceive them to affect the flavor. This is especially
true for indulgent products. Overall, a 'back to basics' approach to the ingredient panel is an attribute that grants
certain consumers permission to indulge."
This is where full-fat ingredients like butter or the
ones like sugar that are often vilified can be seen in a
new light.
"All these healthy halo claims don't necessarily mean
the product is good for you," Ms. Kulak said. "As consumers become better educated on reading nutritional panels and what's actually involved in a product, it will play an important part in how they make
good decisions."
This back-to-basics sentiment is what's driving the demand for clean label pastries in the in-store bakery and
center aisles.
"People have become much more educated on ingredients and the variety of ingredients that go into a
product," Mr. Caparos said. "What they want is the confidence of what a clean label represents."
These days, times are hard. And with the rapid, drastic changes Americans have endured in the first half of
2020, no one knows when - or if - they're going to get
better. As priorities shift and disposable income diminishes, innovative bakers can still find success when they
keep a focus on the value proposition in their product
development.
"The pandemic has driven consumers to increase
their consumption of comfort foods," Mr. Vierhile said.
"These products can scratch an itch that consumers will
probably always have."

Sweet cereals are
crossing into the
pastry category in
the supermarket
center aisles.
The Kellogg Company

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