Baking & Snack - November 2023 - 33

TRENDS
Sweet Goods
A MIXED PERFORMANCE FOR PIES
Perhaps more than any other dessert, pies
are all about nostalgia.
" Everyone has a memory of pie, i.e., apple
pie that grandma used to make, pumpkin
pie mom made for Thanksgiving - often
bringing us back to happy times in our
past, " said Melissa Altobelli, principal, client
insights, dairy and bakery vertical, Circana.
Consumers' desire for nostalgic, indulgent
desserts has boosted pies' performance over
the last year. Perimeter whole pies, which
account for 72% of perimeter pie's $1.2 billion
in sales, increased unit sales 3.5% for the 52
weeks ending Aug. 13, according to Circana.
Whole pies also more than doubled unit
sales in center store (+131.3%), although only
account for 3% of center store dollar sales,
Ms. Altobelli noted.
Consumers are still treating themselves despite inflation,
but the way they indulge is changing.
Rubicon Bakers
Both perimeter and center store pies are
declining, driven by drops in single-serve
pies. Despite this trend, pie makers see
growth opportunity in the single-serve space,
especially as consumers seek convenient,
doesn't have to be something brand new and different;
it's mixing things that haven't been done before or adding
something new or a twist to something current. "
Paul Stippich, director of marketing for Otis
Spunkmeyer, a brand of Los Angeles-based Aspire
Bakeries, echoed this point, noting that " newstalgia " is
back in vogue.
" It's about delivering a homestyle brownie, then elevating
it with premium chocolate and ingredients, " he
explained. " Appealing to familiarity but with a twist and
reminding consumers of what they love, is better than
forcing them to spend a lot of time trying to get the ideas
of what you're introducing. "
In the perimeter, double/triple chocolate, peanut butter,
confetti/rainbow and lemon are the fastest-growing
dessert flavors, each posting more than 10% unit and
dollar growth, Circana found.
Citrus flavors especially have reemerged across desserts,
Mr. Stippich said. Otis Spunkmeyer, for example,
recently reintroduced its individually wrapped, 4-oz
lemon loaf cake.
" The sweet baked goods category is experiencing
bursts of lemon, lime and orange, " he said. " Expect to
permissible portions.
" Affordable single-serve products are driving
incremental sales, " said Par Grandinetti,
president of Rocky Mountain Pies, Salt Lake
City, which offers lattice fruit pies, double
crust pies, crème pies and more. " Singleserve
products with reduced price points
continue to perform and will continue to
grow in 2024. "
And Mr Kipling, Hertfordshire, United
Kingdom, recently introduced 2-inch Apple
& Cinnamon mini pies to the center store,
available in packs of six.
The pie category is led by traditional flavors
like apple, pumpkin and pecan, and Ms.
Altobelli observed that greater flavor and
format innovation from other sweet good
categories could be a threat to pies moving
forward. Pies still perform well during
holiday seasons, however, and innovation
around the holidays could prove successful.
Kraft Heinz Co., Pittsburgh, for example,
introduced Kraft Singles Apple Pie for the
Fourth of July. Made in partnership with
Little Pie Co., New York, the apple pie is
made with Kraft Singles cheese and topped
with an additional slice of melted cheese.
www.bakingbusiness.com / November 2023 Baking & Snack 33
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