Bread is essential. It’s perhaps the oldest known prepared food. But within simplicity, lies a complex nature that continually unfolds.
Fresh bread remains the largest category in bakery. According to IRI, Chicago, fresh bread and rolls accounted for $13.0 billion in sales for the 52 weeks ending November 27, 2016—but grew by only 0.4 percent in dollar sales. Buns and rolls generally fared better than fresh bread in terms of growth. Top performers for the period, per IRI, included King’s Hawaiian (up 19.0 in hamburger and hot dog buns, and14.5 in fresh buns, rolls and croissants) and Campbell Soup Co. (up 16.9 in hamburger and hot dog buns, and 12.7 in fresh buns, rolls and croissants). H&S Bakery notes that overall company sales were up 12 percent compared to the previous year. But what are the key aspects of this growth?