Bagel shops seem to be disappearing in some of the big cities in the U.S. Several bagel shops in my area that offered numerous varieties have closed after decades of popularity. In the Midwest, bagels have experienced a major decline. In the central region of the country, consumers tend to purchase more donuts. Out East, bagels and muffins sell more. The South region had the largest decrease in bagel sales compared to other regions, down 2.6% in 2011 from the previous year, according to sales reviews from Perishables Group Inc., a Chicago-based fresh food consulting firm.
Fresh-baked bagels today are finding a home in supermarkets. “Price Chopper was ahead of the trend in the increasing popularity of bagels,” observes Mona Golub, Price Chopper’s vice president of public relations and consumer and marketing services. “Twenty years ago, authentic, high-quality bagels made from scratch using Price Chopper’s elaborate process were few and far between. Today, in a supermarket setting, it’s rare to find product of this high quality.”