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being up 47 per cent YOY in traditionally slow weeks for bakery snacks when competing against hot cross buns,” Mr Brunt said. In the coming months, ABQG will launch Mrs Brunt’s Waffle Twin Packs, which Mr Brunt says will be “value priced for everyday” choice. An agile Mission Mission Foods, according to National Marketing Manager Elizabeth Koukeris, is ensuring it maintains a “strong” core range of products and is developing “timely” NPD that addresses current and emerging trends, which in turn drives incremental category growth. Among the company’s latest new product launches are Mission High Fibre Vitamin Enriched Wraps, Mission Salt Reduced and Mission Low Gi + Protein Wraps. “Furthermore,” Ms Koukeris said, “we have an integrated approach to our marketing where our above-the-line and below-the-line campaigns are aligned with our in-store activity, with the purpose of driving brand and product awareness and conversion.” Addressing challenges, Ms Koukeris notes that the “biggest” this year will be the adjustments in buying behaviour following the elevated buying in 2020 due to the pandemic. “\\\[This\\\] will require agility as 2021 will be a year of transition,” she said, adding that Mission Foods will also adapt its communication strategies – in line with, for example, a rise in online shopping – to ensure the business is maximising its reach. Ms Koukeris advised retailers: “\\\[Ensure you\\\] have the right product mix of premium and value ranges available on shelf and the right partners to collaboratively develop and implement strong initiatives that talk to consumer needs and drive category sales.” She predicts that wraps will continue to increase in popularity as consumers look for “versatile, quick and convenient” healthy products that fit into their evolving lifestyle, along with the growth of ‘snackification’. “Health orientated products will drive a good portion of that category growth,” she said. “There are \\\[also\\\] emerging dietary trends that we’re observing, and the key is to unlock how these fit within the bread and bakery category, and within our brand, while also ensuring we meet both consumers and commercial needs.” Addressing health, size and artisanal trends Tasmania baker Cripps has achieved 3.5 per cent growth in the total bakery category versus a year ago (IRI, supplied by Cripps). “This growth was driven predominately by the Covid-19 surge,” Cripps CEO Paul Gadomski said. “The latest quarter delivered a softening of the surge, in comparison to last year, and the four weeks to January 24 this year continued this trend.” Before the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020, Mr Gadomski says, the Tasmanian bakery business was attracting “solid growth” with its Eliza’s Little Loaves, a range of smaller fare. “These are around half of a normal size traditional unlidded loaf,” he said. “These loaves suited shoppers who were shopping more frequently, consuming less and wanting to waste less. “Interestingly, the onset of Covid saw the market shift into the larger loaves again, most likely reflective of people being at home more. Now that lockdowns have ceased in Tasmania, the smaller loaves are becoming popular again.” Besides the changing nature of loaf sizes, Mr Gadomski notes that the changing consumer taste in pursuit of “healthier” bakery options is a challenge, as the consumer is always on the lookout for “new news”. Addressing this, Cripps introduced the Vogel’s range of products into the Tasmanian market in the second half of 2020. “This range of smaller, denser and nutritious loaves is endearing to those consumers looking for healthier options,” Mr Gadomski said. “Cripps has also converted its entire bread range to be secured by 100 per cent recyclable cardboard bread tags, instead of the microplastic clip. This is a great sustainability initiative that has been well received by consumers and the retailers.” Linked to the preference for ‘healthy’, Mr Gadomski says, is a “distinct” trend to preferring artisanal style products, namely international style breads and sourdoughs. “\\\[This\\\] puts pressure on a large-scale bakery to keep pace with the needs of the market,” he said. “Cripps has invested heavily in the production of Turkish breads and pizza bases, and is focusing on being a new entrant in the flour-wrap market in the second half of 2021. Both Turkish bread and pizza bases are experiencing double-digit growth for Cripps.” Returning to the topic of Covid-19, Mr Gadomski concludes that the pandemic has “drawn Australian households back to basics” with many people preparing their daily meals at home. Before this, he says, people ventured to the food courts, restaurants, cafes and other outlets. “Until the population learns to live with Covid-19,” Mr Gadomski said, “I expect that this trend will continue, which will translate to modest growth for the bakery category.” BREAD & BAKERY APR, 2021 RETAIL WORLD 45