Better-For-You

RSS

When Sheldon Romer opened his small bakery in Boulder, CO in 1976, he sought to offer nutritious, preservative-free breads and other baked goods to a local audience yearning for authenticity, people who were seeking a deeper connection to their food.

Snack producers and bakeries are making efforts to include more fruit ingredients in the products they offer to appeal to consumers looking for healthier, better-for-you food choices. Use of real fruit ingredients resonates with consumers, since it communicates a fresh, real, wholesome message.

The gluten-free market continues to grow. Euromonitor reports that global sales hit $3.5 billion in 2016, up 12.6 percent compared to the previous year, and global gluten-free sales are projected to reach $4.7 billion by 2020. In this still-expanding market for gluten-free, snack producers and bakeries continue to develop strategies for growth and product improvement.

Fresh bread, bagels and English muffins comprise the largest segment in bakery, valued at over $10 billion per IRI, Chicago. But sales overall remain relatively flat. Nevertheless, several strategic options exist for bakers to infuse new life into bread sales.

More people are growing increasingly aware of the amount of sugar in their diets. The 2017 "Food & Health Survey" from the International Food Information Council found that 76 percent of respondents were trying to limit or avoid sugar.

Crackers grow more sophisticated as shoppers seek nutrition and flavor in their snacks.

Milk, cheese and eggs are dietary staples. In the U.S., on average, we consume 36.6 pounds of cheese, 268 eggs and 18 gallons of milk per person each year, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. From 2014–16, the consumption of eggs grew 1.9 percent and the consumption of cheese grew almost 6.5 percent.

General Mills Foodservice is helping bakeries, restaurants and foodservice operations meet consumer demand for baked items made with simpler ingredients.