Baking & Snack - April 2022 - 37

research, we've identified 18 different consumer snacking
occasions, one of which we call 'morning sweet start.'
This occasion represents a $5.8 billion annual market
opportunity that has been growing at 5.5% over the past
three years. "
The idea of the small indulgence can be seen in several
popular mini snacks and bites, such as Entenmann's
Minis, Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Bites or Frosted Mini
Wheats Little Bites and more.
Since 2021, Hostess has launched Lemon Drizzle and
Cinnamon Swirl Baby Bundts, which are mini bundt
cakes drizzled with icing, and Muff'n Stix, which are
portable morning snacks that come in Blueberry and
Chocolate Chip. And Hostess' mini donuts is the No. 1
selling sub-brand.
" We are focused on innovating and marketing in the
breakfast space, " Ms. Lambert said. " Donettes will continue
to be one of our priority brands for advertising
and one that is ripe for continued innovation given these
trends. For example, to address consumers' interest in
energy-boosting foods, we recently launched caffeinated
Hostess Boost Jumbo Donettes in two decadent flavors
- Chocolate Mocha and Caramel Macchiato. Each
hearty donut contains slightly less caffeine, 50-70 mg,
than one cup of coffee. "
The Hostess mini is a smart marketing move, Ms.
Dornblaser said, because it provides consumers with an
indulgent snack.
" The brand promise of Hostess is it's going to be the
fun little treat whether it's a Twinkie or a sleeve of donuts,
whatever it happens to be, " she said. " I give them so
much credit for taking it and running with it, and then
finding so many fun ways to expand it. "
One brand marketing itself as a permissible indulgent
treat is Daelmans stroopwafels, which had a dollar
growth of 17% for the 52-week period ending Feb. 20.
" It has sort of a richness that makes it a bit of an indulgence,
but it doesn't knock you over with sweetness
in the way that a lot of American snacks do, " said Tom
Daly, chief executive officer of The Brand Passport Inc.,
New York City, which distributes the Netherlands-made
brand in the United States. " There's sort of a subtlety to
it, a balance of the flavors that makes it much more of
an appealing morning treat where a typical indulgent
cookie or confection would be a bit much for that time
of the day. "
They come in a variety of flavors, including Caramel,
Honey, Maple, Chocolate and Coffee. They are nonGMO
and free of artificial ingredients and preservatives,
and the brand recently introduced fresh frozen stroopwafels
for foodservice accounts. The treats are sold as
large and minis. Mr. Daly said one of the product's top
selling points is the ritual of warming the large " coffee
Poppin' in pop culture
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who is known
for his love of cold cereal, is dabbling in
another breakfast item these days. He is
working on a feature film about the origin
of Pop-Tarts called Unfrosted.
The movie is reportedly built around
the time Mr. Seinfeld discovered Pop-Tarts
as a child. The California Film Commission
recently awarded the movie $14.2 million
in tax credits to film it in the state, according
to Food & Wine. It is slated to begin
shooting in May.
Pop-Tarts, which are made by the
Kellogg Company, Battle Creek, Mich.,
generate retail sales exceeding $800
million annually in the United States, according
to Kellogg's 2021 fourth-quarter
report. They come in a wide variety of
flavors, including recent additions Frosted
Boston Crème Pop-Tarts and Frosted
Apple Fritter Pop-Tarts. Pop-Tarts also
come in a mini format, Pop-Tarts Bites,
which were introduced in December 2018.
topper " stroopwafel over a hot cup of coffee or tea.
" This ritual people practice transforms it into this
gooey, melty warm snack simply by setting it on top of a
coffee cup for a couple of minutes, " Mr. Daly said. " You
get to turn it into something that's especially indulgent.
The ritual, that transformation, is really unique in snacks
and breakfast foods. "
One of the keys to success for indulgent treats is to
stay the course, Ms. Dornblaser said.
" The biggest challenge is making sure they're unapologetically
delivering on what they're all about, " she said.
" The challenge sometimes in indulgent categories is to
own it. We know that consumers want treats. We know
that they want to indulge, and it's OK to let them do that.
www.bakingbusiness.com / April 2022 Baking & Snack 37
Brent Hofacker
http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Baking & Snack - April 2022

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