A “craft” appeal? Artisanal and sourdough raise the bakery stakes

30 Mar 2020 --- With consumers demanding more authentic, deliciously crafted breads, bakers are going back to the roots of bread, often seeking inspiration from traditional baking ingredients such as sourdough and wholegrains. Across the globe, when consumers buy bread, pastry, patisserie or chocolate, their decisions are driven by three key criteria: taste, health and freshness. Taste is often the most important driver. FoodIngredientsFirst takes a look at the hottest trends in the bakery sector.

When it comes to health, 72 percent of consumers worldwide still expect producers to remove some ingredients, such as sugar or fat, to create healthier products, according to research from Puratos. Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Philippe Arnauts, Group Communication Manager, says, “This is not only about removing ingredients; 66 percent of consumers also mention that it’s about adding ingredients such as proteins and fibers. Freshness also defines a consumer’s perception of quality and aroma, baking time, a short shelf life, look and crunchiness all play a key role in this.”

Big players are stepping into the craft food and beverage market, increasingly focusing on products with a premium look, distinctive ingredients, unique processing techniques and stories that inspire. Craft food and beverage launches have grown at an average rate of +17 percent globally between 2014 and 2018, that is according to data from Innova Market Insights. 

Crafted goodness
“Craft is hot,” Arnauts affirms. “It’s all about food with a human touch for which 77 percent of consumers are willing to pay more. Beyond the final product, they also wish to act more conscientiously, so they look to make ethical food choices and consider the impact of the production, distribution and preparation of food on people and the environment. Sixty-two percent of consumers agree with the statement: ‘I am what I eat, I pick my food carefully.’ In this process, consumers seek for greater transparency and increasingly consult packaging labels to have a more informed choice of consumption; 95 percent in the APAC region versus 88 percent in Northern America,” he reveals.

According to Sam Russell, EMEA Marketing Manager at Univar Solutions, artisanal breads that offer new flavors and contemporary twists are also attracting consumer interest. “Authenticity and provenance matters more in the food sector than ever before, creating value in the marketplace and offering consumers the chance to connect with traditional processes, and manufacturers the chance to upgrade products, is evidenced by the rise of sourdough across the globe. These ‘homemade’-style products are likely to dominate the category, particularly if innovators can also provide perceived additional health benefits,” he tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

Sourdough raising the stakes
Sourdough is known to bring taste, texture and craftsmanship into a bread range. It also allows bakers to differentiate, to sell signature breads that their consumers will always recognize as theirs. This overall transition to more authentic breads is causing a “premiumization” of breads; a shift to more rustic style breads. Initially this trend appeared in the traditional premium breads like ciabatta and baguette. But with more consumers willing to try out their first rustic style breads, we see everyday breads like toast breads and burger buns becoming more premium as well.

Ancient grains add authenticity
Consumers increasingly prefer less processed foods, often with the inclusion of ingredients that boost health credentials, such as ancient grains. Their rise in popularity is evidenced by the average annual growth of 16 percent in global new F&B launches tracked with ancient grains between 2014 and 2018, according to Innova Market Insights. The most common ancient grain among relevant product launches is quinoa, followed closely by chia seeds.

Meanwhile, claims around “wellness” have boosted breads made with ancient grains. “With wheat varieties such as spelt or khorasan wheat (kamut) being perceived as ‘better for you,’ these grains can add authenticity to artisan bakery items, however, they can be notoriously difficult for bakers to manage despite the perceived health benefits,” reveals Russell. 

He also states that bakery and baked goods continue to outperform most other sectors in the food market, simply because they fit in with the latest trends. “Food is increasingly consumed ‘on-the-go’ and bakery products perfectly sit in that space, across both sweet and savory applications, meeting consumer needs for convenience as well as offering an affordable way to purchase quality, variety and, in many instances, healthy options,” he explains. 

Mohammad Emami, Senior Product Manager at Bartek Ingredients expects to see a rise in bakery items boasting cleaner and simpler labels and in craft bakery-inspired offerings such as artisan, rustic, hearth-baked and multi-grain.

“All of these trends will continue their migration from niche markets to the mainstream as bakers of all sizes look for ways to satisfy current consumer wants and needs,” he states. 

“Consumers are more adventurous when it comes to baked goods as they look for alternatives to the established bread staples like white pan bread, buns and rolls. This has driven demand for intriguing inclusions like heirloom and ancient grains, and more premium-feeling varieties like artisan breads,” Emami concludes. 

By Elizabeth Green