BakeryAndSnacks Podcast

2020 was without a doubt one of the most challenging years in UK history. Not only did the food industry have to contend with the pandemic, but also the complexities involved with the UK withdrawing from the European Union.

The Food Marketing Experts has started 2021 on a high, scooping up the title of Best Food Photography & Marketing Firm. But what does this really mean for its clients and what can this Cambridgeshire full service agency can bring to the table for the bakery sector?

In time for National Chip And Dip Day on 23 March, Nature’s Eats – a brand of Texas Star Nut & Food Company – is launching Nutchos, all-natural grain free chips made from almonds.

Stryve is certainly disrupting the $5bn US meat snack category with biltong – one of the only differentiated products the category has seen in decades. It is also set to shake up the market even further by going public and getting the healthier snacking message word out to Americans through big name private investors like actor Channing Tatum and NFL quarterback Justin Herbert.

By now, the coronavirus’ impact on consumer needs is evident, with both consumers and retailers prioritising a safe and transparent food system. But how has the rush to meet the overwhelming shift to ecommerce and food delivery affected packaging demands and how is the packaging industry stepping up? And does this mean that sustainability has been put on the back burner?

The online subscription platform was founded with the aim to highlight up-and-coming snack startups to allow consumers to discover unique treats that might not have as yet found their way onto the shelves of retail outlets like Whole Foods.

Research by Cargill has found that at least six in 10 consumers claim to check ingredient lists to avoid certain ingredients, while more than half are influenced by the story behind the brand. And while convenience has cropped up as a leading influence in brand selection, today's consumer is not willing to compromise on health - a focus that is more prevalent than ever before.

EverGrain is revolutionising the use of spent barley saved over from the brewing process: creating ingredients that not only add functional and processing benefits to snacks and baked products, but also tick the sustainability box through its circularity concept.

NoCOé is the first cracker brand of its kind to limits its carbon impact by design and sets the bar for other brands to strive towards a 100% carbon neutral status.

Most Americans are still not familiar with glyphosate, but once they were made aware of it, 93% expressed concern about the presence of the toxin in their breakfast foods – giving One Degree Organic Foods impetus to champion its mission to educate consumers and introduce them to products that are glyphosate-free.

Today’s consumers want more than just convenience, freshness and great taste and texture from their food. They’re looking for better-for-you options that can help them take a proactive approach to their health.

Consumers’ attitudes, priorities and behaviours are shifting significantly, thanks to the coronavirus, providing unique prospects for forward-looking bakery and snack producers to bring a suite of trailblazing new products to market.

Bunge Loders Croklaan (BLC) has launched the Where Life Grows campaign – aimed at building a sustainable shea supply chain in West Africa and more, importantly, to empower the women involved in collecting the nuts – to celebrate the inauguration of its shea butter processing facility in Ghana.

Chris Hook, Free From director of Warburtons, says the demand for free from is clearly here to stay, but the expectations of anyone following a gluten-free diet – whether for medical reasons or just a lifestyle choice – remain demanding … and so they should be.

Consumer Eyes’ Ron Rentel says ecommerce is here to stay – even post-COVID – hence the launch of a series of live streaming trade experiences by the Chinese technology conglomerate to bring buyers and sellers safely together to meet in real time.

Cargill has reported it has made significant progress in achieving sustainable impact on land use, climate, water, farmer prosperity and human rights in the run up to the UN’s 2030 target.

The Craft Bakers Association (CBA) – which represents approximately 500 bakery businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – reports the sector has become very dynamic on the back of the coronavirus outbreak.

BakeryandSnacks has enlisted Chris Hook, business director of Warburtons Gluten Free, on its on its Editorial Advisory Board, which will enable the site to maintain its position at the coalface of news, regulations, new product development and technological development in the gluten-free sector.

Consumers’ shopping and eating habits have shifted, particularly as the world moves through the pandemic, pressurising brands to pivot strategies to keep up with the demands and challenges.

The US flour miller and ingredients provider has been deemed part of the nation’s critical infrastructure in providing food and has a crisis team that kicked into gear to cope with the pandemic to ensure that product continues to appear on grocery shelves.

Turmeric, pumpkin seeds and probiotics will be the new ingredient kids on the block – especially during these uncertain times when focus is on health and snacking has become more prevalent than ever – according to Cargill’s research to find out consumer preferences in choosing a snack.

Determined not to let the ongoing COVID-19 crisis shelve plans, BakeryandSnacks virtually hosted the debate on snackification, originally scheduled to take place on stage at The Ingredients Show in Birmingham, UK.

The International Artisan Bakery Expo (IABE) is set to open the doors for its second annual event on March 31, 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, US.

Cargill has invested $6.4m to expand its North American Pilot Development Centre in Savage, Minneapolis, to assist bakery customers increase their speed-to-market with new products.

FrieslandCampina Ingredients Food & Beverages identified three major trends in its first annual Trend Report published earlier this year that could assist bakers turn tomorrow’s consumer demands into market propositions.