IDDBA’s Whitney Atkins, VP of marketing, and Heather Prach, VP of education, spoke on how current trends will shape the future of the association, its members and the industry.

Prach said consumer buying patterns are evolving faster, and “if our industry and individual companies don’t stay ahead, it’s easy to fall behind. The trends we launched in December are proving to be growing, and they’re solid and they’re safe. They are overarching concepts that are taking us through this current fresh grocery climate.”

She said flexibility is what it takes to stay ahead. “We need to be fluid and flexible and evolve from rigid and legacy patterns.”

IDDBA’s five guiding trends are written using data analysis, consumer responses and take into consideration a shopper survey conducted in May, with 1,500 consumers giving feedback, Prach noted. 

“These five trends really enable the manufacturers, retailers and marketers to tell the consumers’ stories, which is exactly what What’s In Store Live 2023 does. What once was content marketing has now become storyteller,” Prach said.

She added it is important to consider the five generations of shoppers when discussing trends and consumer insights, as their preferences, behaviors and actions vary greatly.

They are: the Silent Generation (1928-45), Baby Boomers (1946-64), Gen X (1965-80), Millenials (1981-96) and Gen Z (1997-2012).

The silent generation is the oldest group. Often referred to as traditionalist, its members are generally conservative in their shopping habits and tend to prioritize quality over price. 

Baby Boomers are known for consumerism. They tend to prioritize convenience and value for money. Generation X is known for financially conservative behavior, and includes cautious spenders. They’re also tech savvy and prefer online shopping. 

The Millennials are tech savvy and heavily reliant on e-commerce. They prioritize experiences over material possessions, and social responsibility and brands. 

Generation Z are digital natives whose shopping habits are shaped by social media. They value personalization, authenticity and sustainability. Members of Gen Z tend to be the most willing to invest in higher priced products that align with their values. 

“There’s a sizable current divide in consumer behaviors right now, with the rapid change in technology and large viewpoints on governance,” Prach said. “As new generations emerge with their unique characteristics, this will create further shifts in consumer trends and expectations in future decades.”

She said the number of Millennials has exceeded the Boomer ranks, and Gen X is expected to surpass the number of Boomers in 2028. 

“Soon, it’s predicted that the amount of households led by people under 40 will outweigh the amount of people over 40,” Prach said. 

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, inflation is taking its own toll on consumers. Debt levels are rising and savings decreasing.

“All of this has resulted in wages not keeping up with inflation rates,” said Prach, adding that cutting the SNAP emergency fund has greatly affected the dollars spent on food for nearly 25 percent of consumers. All of this has continued to “keep a very home-centered world,” she said. 

While this is in favor of food retailing, it also presents challenges that come with change. “However, where there’s change, there’s opportunity,” Prach said.

Following IDDBA’s five guiding trends is one way to maximize those opportunities. The trends include: Whole Health, Whole Heart and Whole Self; Consumer Defined Convenience; the ABCs of ESG; Worth the Value; and Innovation and Technology.

Atkins said there is no longer just one type of consumer. “The need for balance – in-store, online and through marketing messaging is evident.”

Whole Health, Whole Heart and Whole Self

Healthy combines physical health and emotional well-being, Prach said, as consumers are more educated about nutrition and physical health and want to know what they’re putting in their bodies. 

“It is no longer taboo to talk about mental health or the overall pursuit of happiness,” she said. “There’s almost 80 percent of people that relate emotional well-being and healthy. There’s a balance here to combine indulgence as a treat and happiness, while still remaining healthy.” 

There’s not one definition for healthy. It can vary based on viewpoints that are generational or regional, on food allergies or results-based diets. 

“There’s a wide range of these physical callouts that each individual is looking for,” she said.

Any and all attributes of a product should be clearly called out, as shoppers have become label readers. 

“I think we were all riding a fine line of mental stability and uncertainty in the last few years. So there’s great comfort in indulgence. Consumers are looking to indulge occasionally and feel good and celebrate.”

Dominique Delugeau, IDDBA board chair, stated in a video message that people are looking for cleaner, better ingredients. They also are looking for smaller portions of higher-priced items.

“People want to eat less of the best…it’s an indulgence, but they’re not going to necessarily walk away from a certain cheese because of the price” but perhaps will buy less of it, he said.

Prach noted that today’s families are smaller and more people are living on their own, with 70 percent of households without children. 

“The average household right now is 2.5 people and that’s the lowest rate that we’ve ever seen. Sizing for the meal planning and the amount of guests is important here for health, for value and for waste concerns. Offering sizing options is key to covering your customers’ needs. Healthy plays out in many ways.
Atkins said today’s marketing strategy plans are built around segmentation, targeting and positioning. While mass marketing still plays a role, consumers want and expect personalization through the technology of loyalty programs, social media and e-commerce.

Prach said 77 percent of consumers surveyed say it is fine to occasionally eat some treats. Retailers are creating balance in the merchandising and portion sizes from deli and bakery. 

Consumer Defined Convenience

The second guiding trend, consumer defined convenience, is continuing to grow in grocery retail, foodservice and c-stores. 

“The on-the-go lifestyle is back…feeding the family has become a balancing act between money, health, taste and time,” Prach said. 

Pizza is an example of this convenience. It can be ready to eat and still be customizable, served hot and in-store. Retailers can customize a bake-at-home option or one that consumers can create with some pre-made ingredients. 

“This is a great illustration of how life is about continuums and how that can really play out by taking one concept with many options of execution. Home cooking burnout helps our categories and fuels this trend.”

Prach said 41 percent of shoppers are cooking mostly from scratch, while 50 percent mix scratch with semi- and fully-prepared items. Just 9 percent is mostly shopping fully prepared items. 

Shoppers want convenience as an option, and this is led by grab-and-go options, where 55 percent of consumers want easier shopping in the grab-and-go, Atkins said. She also noted that shoppers may be thinking of future meals while they’re in the store. They want to know their local retailer will have a reliable selection of grab-and-go, along with easier preparation items.

Providing customization for the consumer is pushing the demand for ordering systems, delivery, make-on-demand and staffing for rush times.

“Home delivery and e-commerce have been difficult for our categories to execute in retail, but they would be worth the investment. There’s a bit of margin loss with the delivery services, but 46 percent of shoppers are wanting that option,” Prach said. 

Maximizing the e-commerce platform to give recipes, meal solutions and meal planning can increase sales. Prach said there’s also room to upgrade sandwiches to fresh baked bread in the deli, or a small indulgence upgrade to brioche bread, bagel or croissant. 

“Service is still important to our departments for customization.”

Cross merchandising is another way to increase sales with a focus on convenience, Atkins noted.

“Cross merchandising has always been a way to grow sales and profits. It’s also designed to scream convenience,” she said.

Loyalty shopper data is invaluable when addressing the need for personalization, Atkins said. With this data, retailers can make plans to address overall shopper profiles in a store or group of stores.

Also, delivery and takeout present a “huge opportunity” for grocery retailers, as 60-80 percent of people are doing restaurant takeout whereas 30-40 percent are doing grocery retail takeout or delivery.

“There’s a huge gap here. And where there’s a gap, there’s an opportunity to close it,” Prach said. 

Atkins said loyalty will emerge by adding marketing messages to ensure implementation. The same cross merchandising and marketing can be used on e-commerce platforms. 

“Curbside is here to stay. It’s convenient, it’s quick and it provides options for the family meal, or even that moment when you remember you were supposed to send treats to school,” she said.

Restaurants innovated quickly with curbside as a means to survive during the pandemic. Retail delis can now take advantage of the consumer adoption by working with online technology, Atkins said. 

“Marketing has to create the narrative, whether it’s ad plans, digital ads, social media. But the store has to deliver,” she said, noting that adoption of these programs or offerings takes time.

“Convenience will forever lead the forefront in consumer shopping behavior. Consumers will be forever time starved, that’s never going to change,” she said.

Atkins added that c-store operators have been focused on the future of their customers, even pre-pandemic. That led to their success in leading innovation and technology to meet the customer where they were.

In helping to attract consumers during the busy breakfast hours, Prach said What’s In Store Live is showing opportunities in breakfast. Two technology components in bakery include a coffee bot and a bread bot.

“The coffee bot is a full solution to adding a coffee shop feel to the bakery without needing to use the extra labor. And there’s a bread bot. Warm bread comes out every six minutes. These are not shown to replace these categories but to be used in addition – to bring theater, free of labor and to create a consistent product that your customers can learn to rely on,” she said.

The ABCs of ESG

ESG – environment, social and governance – is becoming more widely known and talked about among consumers. Atkins said a colleague broke it down as follows: Sustainability is what a business does; it is internal. ESG is how a business reports. It is external.

Prach said ESG is going to be much more important to the later generations who grew up learning the importance of the planet and recycling. “ESG now takes that conversation beyond just recycling and sustainability for the environment. It is shifting cultures to model a full 360 impact. It is taking into consideration the amount of energy used in all aspects of the product life cycle.” 

According to Atkins, ESG is important “because consumers say it is,” adding that “it is forward thinking for the future of our food supply.”

Prach said as interest in the planet and animal welfare are growing, it is important to call out those attributes on packaging. “Consumers are interested in a story. They want to know the backstory of the ingredients and the personalized stories of the producers, the farmers and even the animals involved.”

Atkins said ESG reports the story, “which comes full circle and helps you retain and gain internal stakeholders like investors and employees while retaining and gaining customers.”

Worth value

Guiding the fourth trend is a reminder that value is in the eye of the beholder.

Prach said this trend’s message is not about price but about affordability and products being worth the value. 

“Consumers are really seeking ways to save. Some of these benefit us as retailers, whereas some others really mean that we have some pressures of our own,” she said.

Consumers are trying many different things – buying less, wasting less, looking for deals and promotion. “Teach customers how to use the full product and their leftovers while lowering your in-store spoilage as well,” Prach said. 

Several concepts of this may be seen in What’s In Store Live, such as getting creative with boards and snacking. “Anything can be added to a board. This is a great way to get creative with ingredients you have left in the cupboards or the fridge.” 

While consumers are reducing their restaurant spending, there is an opportunity for retailers to maximize growth in dairy, deli and bakery for dinner, as well as lunch and breakfast.

As consumer concern over inflation continues, shoppers are looking for value in the traditional sense of the word, Atkins said. They are planning their shopping trips, comparing their store with competitors for prices and promotions.

“Saving is top of mind, and this is how shoppers are making the decisions,” she said.

Identifying store brands in the deli and bakery departments can appeal to the 46 percent of consumers who are more likely to purchase store brands. Creating and supporting digital solutions, along with personalization, “continues to be imperative in the buyers’ journey,” Atkins said.

She noted that IDDBA offers year-round value through its What’s In Store digital reporting and monthly category reviews, along with live and on-demand webinar series.

Prach said dairy, deli and bakery have a household penetration of 98-99 percent. “It’s not about getting the customer to our areas, but it’s more about getting them to purchase items that they wouldn’t normally grab.” 

Innovation and Technology

In discussing the fifth guiding trend, Prach said the pandemic caused the industry to jump five to 10 years forward in the area of e-commerce “because there wasn’t a choice.”

She said technology is about creating efficiencies. “In its current state and into the foreseeable future, it can be partnered with customizing and service to continue to deliver those positive experiences.”

On social media, influencers are growing. Prach suggested retailers let their team and customers celebrate the brand or store. Digital price tags reduce labor and self-checkouts are commonplace.

She suggested creating an app and a subscription program to build loyalty. Digital screens allow for instant change and marketing and can be used to drive sales or in idle time.

“People are learning how to cook, how to use ingredients and get inspirations digitally. Three of our generations are using digital much more than any other source,” she said. 

Prach also suggested staying ahead of viral trends and merchandising.

“Food is fuel and nutrition as much as social and entertainment. It is now becoming art in the presentation and a fun way to explore flavors. Social has brought food to the top of the conversation…but remember, the digital and the social worlds move fast. So you need to stay ahead and take some risks here.”

Atkins said retailers shouldn’t be afraid to create experiences in their apps but should make them easy to use. Offering payment options also is important.

Atkins said the market size of the global online food sector was reported at $770 billion, with $460 billion attributed to the grocery delivery segment and $300 million in meal delivery.

She noted that it is estimated that it will reach $1.4 trillion in 2027. 

“So if we go back and think about the five generations of shoppers, it would likely be unreasonable to think every shopper will use online, ordering and shopping through an app. But when you think of the growth numbers I mentioned, those are huge dollars that simply cannot be ignored. Retail companies recognize the importance of having shoppers’ attention, whether in store or online.”

Prach said the What’s In Store Live area this year is focusing on innovation and technology. “We’ve got AI and automation; they’re being explored in every industry and food is no exception.”

In addition to the coffee and bread bots, virtual reality is being used to train employees on how to clean a slicer. 

“There’s a much higher retention rate for employees who walk through the whole process rather than using videos and job guides. Think of this for broken glass, spills, the slicer cleaning, stressful customer interaction, etc. All can be completed through virtual without using up additional labor.”

A delivery bot may be seen on the show floor. Badger Technologies has a bot that scans for planogram execution and out of stocks.

Show attendees were encouraged to visit the What’s In Store Live area to see these and other examples of IDDBA’s Guiding Trends.

For more information about the show, visit iddba.org/iddba-show/about/iddba-2023.

The post What’s In Store Live Focuses On Innovation And Technology appeared first on Shelby Report.

“I think it’s interesting, as we start asking customers about their eating approaches, most customers said they don’t like using the term diet…and what’s really interesting, ‘my personal diet’ is the second highest rated eating style, behind ‘healthy heart.’”

Stein said 65 percent of customers are trying to follow some type of eating behavior, and “health mindedness” is very much on their minds.

Also, nearly 70 percent of customers say they are looking for callouts or information when they are shopping in the department “so they can understand what resonates with them.”

According to Stein, retailers must be talking about nutritional callouts in the bakery department.

FMI also asked consumers about better-for-you approaches. For example, when asked what they thought about artificial coloring, the response was split in half between those who prefer it and those who don’t.

“What I really thought was interesting, is when you look at what resonates with them for better for you – real ingredients; the use of fruits or vegetables to avoid things that they think are bad for them, like artificial flavors; smaller portions – and this really applies to the products that they often make at home.”

FMI is telling retailers they must address health and well-being in the bakery, Stein said. Talking about indulgence can also be part of that topic through portion size and mental health – people wanting to be able to indulge. “I would really strongly recommend that, as an industry, we think about that.”

Convenience is another factor driving consumers. This includes how the bakery is laid out. Nearly 81 percent of customers said commercial should either be in the bakery or adjacent to it.

“They want to see the commercial bread pretty close to that…clearly that resonates with them.”

The report also looked at when consumers are shopping during the day. Stein said a large number of people are shopping before 2 p.m., “so they’re looking for freshness. And they understand that the earlier you shop, the fresher the product is going to be, the more abundant choices you’ll have.”

On sustainability, Stein said almost 73 percent of those surveyed wanted to see multi-use packaging. “They’re looking for functional packaging. If that package performs for them, helps the product integrity, keeps food safe – they’re all for that kind of packaging.”

At the same time, however, about 75 percent of those surveyed are concerned about environmentally-friendly packaging.

Consumers also want to be able to see through the packaging to view the product, with 93 percent expressing that desire. “So we really have to be careful how we’re taking labels and things of that nature and hiding product, single cake slices, things of that nature. You really want to be able to highlight the product.”

On the topic of value, Stein said the report breaks it down into four areas: quality, relevance, experience and convenience. While during these inflationary times consumers are money conscious, sometimes they make decisions contrary to that. One example is the growth in produce departments of value-added cut fruit and cut vegetables.

“We all know on a per-pound basis that’s much more expensive than buying fruit or veg in its regular form, but for them that convenience is a value.”

When looking at value in the bakery department, FMI talked to consumers about impulse purchases. “Clearly, the eyes decide,” Stein said. “If you look at the eye-catching displays, a lot of customers go in and end up buying products that they had no intention of buying.”

The report found that bakery “is clearly a big impulse area.”

As far as freshness factoring in what consumers buy, more than 56 percent said they are looking for the date and time it was baked or processed. The majority are conscious of fresh and consider items that say “baked today” or “made in-store.”

“These are other other things that you can shout about in your bakery departments so it resonates with the consumer,” Stein said.

When talking about innovation, he said the report looked at why that customer is buying in the store versus at home. The report found that 61 percent said they wanted the item to be made in the store.

The Power of Bakery report is available on the FMI website, at FMI.org.

The post FMI Shares ‘Power Of Bakery,’ Emphasizes Health And Well-Being appeared first on Shelby Report.

Eardley recently reflected on his years in the industry and his plans for retirement.

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eardley worked at his father’s small supermarket when he was young. While in college, he began working part-time with D&W Food Centers in Grand Rapids. That job led to an almost 30-year career with the company.

His boss at D&W asked Eardley to take over the deli. Even though Eardley said he didn’t know much about the department at that time, his boss recognized his love of food. “He said, delis and bakeries need to take care of a customer need…so we really started focusing on what the customer need was that we were filling and how did we do that.”

Eardley recalled how the late Carol Christison, then president of IDDBA, took him in the mid-1990s to San Antonio for a retail management forum and introduced him to H-E-B. When D&W was sold, H-E-B reached out and asked him to come to Texas. There, he served as director of deli, cheese and prepared foods. 

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Eardley served on the board of directors for IDDBA. Christison died in March 2014, and the board began a search for her replacement. Two board members contacted Eardley and asked for input as to what to look for when hiring a new president. 

He put together a position paper on six influencers, or foundational elements, that he saw as changing the industry: food safety, consolidation, technology, competition, lack of young people seeking jobs in the industry and building a sense of community and connection. After reading his paper, the board asked Eardley to interview for the position. “They agreed with what my vision was and hired me.”

Beginning his new role in August 2014, he said the first thing he did was “to learn.” He sat down and talked with every staff member, from receptionist to vice president. He brought back the association’s long-range planning committee to help define IDDBA’s role going forward.

After looking internally and externally, they came to realize that buyers and sellers intersect around food. 

Eardley said he often talks about bakeries and delis being less about products and more about customization to customer needs. “We give you that opportunity to customize the product mix – what you need – instead of telling if you want this, you have to buy this.”

IDDBA is “an essential resource and a leader to enable those buyers and sellers to align. And if they’re aligned, then we can deliver those relevant solutions to the consumer to fill their needs. We help them find the answer to their needs.”

As IDDBA has evolved over the years, Eardley said changing the show to become customer focused, making it easy to shop and have conversations was important, along with providing education and relevant information to members.

“I feel great that we’ve moved those things forward.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and two years of no IDDBA Show and no revenue was one of his most difficult challenges. “We had to focus very much on how are we going to hold ourselves together so that we can fill the needs of the industry as we come back together. I think we were able to do that.”

He said IDDBA staff has “done a phenomenal job” working alongside the board of directors and to achieve the long-range planning goals. 

“It’s a challenge. It’s managing through change, but I think those things that challenge you make you stronger in the end. I firmly believe that Dave [Haaf, new president and CEO] and the leaders that are here are going to be able to come back around.”

While he can’t predict the future, Eardley said he believes the areas of deli and bakery need more networking, not less, adding it is “very necessary to still get the industry together in one place.” 

Consolidation of companies, new technology and increased competition are bringing different people to the show now.

“I think that IDDBA is uniquely positioned to bring the people together to find solutions for the evolving industry.”

Eardley said the association is focused on attracting young people to the industry, whether through scholarships or bringing students to the show floor. This year, a group of culinary students from Los Angeles will be working in the What’s In Store Live area.

“They’ll see our show floor, and they’ll have time to have conversations and networking opportunities with the exhibitors and retailers. They’ll be able to see how the work comes together in the supermarket world. And we’re hoping that some of those culinary students are going to say, you know, this is a much better opportunity for our future than working in a restaurant.”

Noting that a number of his contemporaries are retiring, Eardley said “it’s pretty necessary that we bring new, free thinkers who can really take our focus of taking care of a customer with needs for higher quality food and take them to a whole other level.”

Eardley, who describes himself as focused on lifelong learning, said he is looking at retirement as a career choice. He has a three-ring binder, separated into sections – needs, wants, desires and directions. He has a bookcase filled with books he has wanted to read over the years but “never had the time to do it the right way.” He wants to devote time to reading, exercising, relaxing, volunteering and staying in contact with people who can challenge his thoughts and ideas.

“If you don’t challenge yourself, you’re going to get old and you’re not going to be happy. I hope to have conversations, and I hope that somebody decides that I can help them, whether it’s my ideas, my knowledge, my skill sets. I would hope that somebody could see that value to their work. Whether it’s a phone call or whether it’s a consulting gig, I’m wide open to that as long as it’s positive for me and positive for them.”

Eardley will miss the staff and board of directors at IDDBA and all the people who have helped him to learn, grow and evolve over the years.

“That’s why I have that call section in my book. I don’t ever want to lose those connections with all the people that are out there. It’s pretty amazing how many people do so much and stay so connected in this industry.”

Eardley will be recognized at a celebration for his retirement at 6 p.m. June 5 at the IDDBA Show.

For more information, visit iddba.org.

To read Eardley’s retirement announcement shared by The Shelby Report, click here.

The post Outgoing IDDBA Executive Readies For Retirement After Show appeared first on Shelby Report.

“Announcing our main stage lineup always comes with such anticipation and I am honored to make the official announcement,” said Whitney Atkins, VP of marketing for IDDBA. “Without further ado, IDDBA will welcome Padma Lakshmi, Alton Brown and Tom Hanks to center stage.”

Padma Lakshmi is an Emmy-nominated food expert, television producer, host and a New York Times best-selling author. 

Lakshmi is the creator of the Hulu series Taste the Nation (winner of the 2021 Critics Choice Award) and serves as host and executive producer of Bravo’s two-time Emmy-winning series Top Chef. 

A Peabody Award-winning cook, Brown created, wrote and hosted “Good Eats” as a leader of the first Food Network generation, revolutionizing culinary programming.

Brown, a best-selling author, film maker and TV personality, will share with attendees how he creates food and culinary entertainment and experiences that are enjoyed by millions around the globe.

Hanks, an award-winning actor, producer, director and writer, needs no introduction to a stage. He recently debuted his novel “The Making Of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece” on May 9. He is also the creator of Hanx For Our Troops, a consumer packaged goods company with 100 percent of the profits benefiting veterans and their families.

For more information about the 2023 IDDBA show, visit IDDBA.org.

To read more association news from The Shelby Report, click here.

The post IDDBA Shares Main Stage Lineup For 2023 Show appeared first on Shelby Report.

The winners of this year’s contest are a 15-year-old from Apache Junction, an adult from Maricopa and a Bashas’ employee.

As part of its annual competition, Bashas’ invited kids and grownups across the state to create new flavors for its doughnut cases. A panel of local celebrity judges helped Bashas’ to select the winning flavors.

Payton R., a 15-year-old from Apache Junction, submitted the winning doughnut in the kids’ category. The Lemon Coconut Meringue doughnut is glazed filled with lemon coconut meringue, and topped with dried lemons and toasted coconut shreds.

Sara Williams from the city of Maricopa submitted the winning doughnut in the adult category. Her PB&J entry is a glazed one filled with strawberry and topped with peanut-butter-flavored frosting.

Sheri Holland, a Bashas’ employee from Flagstaff, Arizona, submitted the winning doughnut in the grocer’s internal company contest. Her Banana Cream Pie is a white doughnut filled with banana custard and topped with buttercream and graham crackers.

The three winning items are available for purchase in Bashas’ bakery cases across Arizona. When customers purchase a dozen doughnuts at Bashas’ on June 2, they will receive an additional six ones for free.

Bashas’ will also donate 10 percent of its sales on June 2 to The Salvation Army, which established National Doughnut Day in June 1938 to honor volunteers who served the sweet treats to soldiers on the frontlines.

In addition to being named Bashas’ Official Doughnut Ambassadors for 2023, each winner will receive one dozen doughnuts every month for a year from Bashas’ bakery and $500 worth of prizes, including a Bashas’ gift card and baking/cooking gadgets.

The youth category runner-up is 8-year-old Wesley W. from Gilbert, who will receive a $50 Bashas’ gift card for his BPM doughnut, which was filled with banana cream and topped with peanut butter frosting and maple drizzle.

The adult category runner-up is Christina Rockwell from Phoenix, who will receive a $50 Bashas’ gift card for her Neapolitan Long John, which was covered in three flavors – chocolate, strawberry and vanilla – in the same style as Neapolitan ice cream.

Each runner-up will receive a $20 Bashas’ gift card.

For more information, visit bashas.com.

The post Bashas’ Names Winners Of Annual Doughnut Contest appeared first on Shelby Report.

From changing consumer preferences to the dominance of established brands, dairy, bakery and deli suppliers must navigate a complex landscape to succeed.

Born out of four legacy food sales brands, Epic Sales Partners Inc. provides headquarter management, retail merchandising, data analytics, technology and administrative services for fresh, specialty, natural and organic departments.

“Epic exists to help food retailers and manufacturers improve their fresh go-to-market strategies,” said David Huddle, president for Epic (Central).

“We provide an intense focus on fresh food with integrated and impactful selling and retail solutions across multiple regions of the United States. Epic provides a streamlined approach that ensures a consistent experience.”

With more than 35 years of experience serving 100 retailers on behalf of more than 350 food manufacturers, this company knows a thing or two about becoming a fresh category leader.

On June 4-6, the Epic team will attend IDDBA 2023, the largest industry show for dairy, deli and bakery professionals. Attendees can see its work with others brought to life in the “What’s In Store” section of the show, which features the latest in products and merchandising trends. Epic will have 45 category experts in attendance from across the United States. 

“We work with the biggest and best grocery retailers and manufacturers that focus on the dairy, deli and bakery departments,” said Mark Wilhelm, president of Epic (West).

“They trust us to bring the products and the expertise on how to teach and train, drive distribution, enhance competitiveness and increase retail sales.”

Bart Thorne, president of Epic (East), said, “Epic is looking ahead to the future of fresh food. Consumers are buying more fresh and specialty foods and smart retailers and manufacturers are investing in this evolution. Epic is the sales agency best equipped to support this trend.”

To see Epic’s meat category insights from the North American Meat Institute and the Food Industry Association’s Annual Meat Conference earlier this year, click here.

As the largest independent food sales agency in the country, Epic looks forward to building new partnerships across not only the dairy, bakery and deli aisles but across all fresh food categories in the year ahead.

To learn more, visit epicsales.com.

The post Epic Sales Partners Drives Sales in Bakery, Deli, Dairy Categories appeared first on Shelby Report.

Its sliced brioche loaf variants have launched into 2,220 Walmart stores, while its brioche waffles with butter (six-pack) are available in more than 4,000 stores.

“This is fantastic news for the brand and the result of a collaborative relationship we have built with Walmart, creating a sound strategy and a lot of shared insight,” said David Wagstaff, managing director, St Pierre Bakery.

“The St Pierre range offers authentic, high quality and consistent products that meet customers’ needs in a growing category and offer something different. What’s more, our fill rates are unrivalled – and that is crucial in the current climate.

“We have invested heavily in our supply chain to ensure we maintain our industry leading fill rates and deliver for our customers. We knew that the opportunity justified the investment, but driving distribution was key to realizing it and our products appearing on shelves in Walmart stores nationwide has helped us to do just that.”

The St Pierre brand is situated in the in-store bakery category, but distribution through Walmart will see the loaves merchandized in the commercial bread aisle. The brand is also investing in marketing to support the launch and drive national sales.

“Premiumization is a trend borne of the pandemic, but it’s still gaining momentum and it’s here to stay,” Wagstaff said.

“Changes in consumer habits mean that shoppers are not willing to compromise on quality. St Pierre is perfectly placed to offer our shoppers an upgrade to their usual loaf in a category where consumers are routinely ‘trading up’ to elevate at-home meals.”

Consumer demand for quality products is demonstrated in category data. Brioche as a category has grown by $98 million compared to this time last year, and branded offerings are outpacing private label growth in the sector. St Pierre is leading with about 18 percent branded market share and 71 percent branded market share within in-store bakery.

“The financial difference for consumers between buying ‘good’ or ‘best’ is marginal – therefore, shoppers are more likely to opt for the better quality, or premium offering,” Wagstaff said.

“St Pierre wins out in independent taste tests on taste, texture and flavor, and we understand that driving trial is key. Our distribution with Walmart will ensure we continue to drive trial across America, highlighting the brand to a new audience and continuing our phenomenal growth.”

For more information, visit stpierretrade.com.

The post St Pierre Brand Expands Into Walmart Locations appeared first on Shelby Report.

The new variety is baked with the equivalent of one cup of veggies per loaf and fortified with vitamins A, D and E.

In addition to offering a source of vitamins, each 18-ounce loaf is baked without artificial colors, flavors or high-fructose corn syrup.

“We know that mealtime can be a battle with picky eaters and little ones that aren’t exactly in love with vegetables,” said Jinder Bhogal, senior brand manager at Sara Lee Bread.

“We baked up the idea for our new Sara Lee White Bread Made with Veggies with families in mind to offer a deliciously unique option that’s new to the bread aisle. Made with love – and a cup of vegetables per loaf – we hope our fans will enjoy incorporating this new offering into breakfast, lunch, snack time and beyond.”

Sara Lee’s white bread made with veggies is available in the bread aisle of grocery stores and major food retailers nationwide in an 18-ounce, 18-slice loaf for a suggested retail price of  $4.49.

Bimbo Bakeries USA has more than 20,000 U.S. employees and operates about 60 manufacturing locations. More than 11,000 distribution routes deliver the company’s brands, such as Arnold, Artesano, Ball Park, Bimbo, Boboli, Brownberry, Entenmann’s, Little Bites, Marinela, Mrs Baird’s, Oroweat, Sara Lee, Stroehmann and Thomas’.

Bimbo Bakeries USA is owned by Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B de C.V., a large baking company with operations in 34 countries.

For more information, visit SaraLeeBread.com.

To read more bakery news from The Shelby Report, click here.

The post Sara Lee Introduces White Bread With Veggies appeared first on Shelby Report.

As U.S. shoppers battle inflation, value for money is paramount for retailers competing for custom in a market fiercer than ever before. We sat down with Neil Pittman, director of sales USA for St Pierre Bakery, to talk about why today’s challenges create opportunity for brands able to help retailers balance demand for quality and need for a value proposition.

Why Brands Are Driving Bakery In 2023

Pittman: Bakery is a staple category for U.S. shoppers. Despite financial challenges and a constantly changing consumer landscape, money will always be spent in the sector and savvy retailers will look to engage shoppers through quality, consistency and in-store experiences that garner loyalty.

That’s where St Pierre comes into its own. For consumers, the trend for premiumisation is here to stay. Previously, shoppers were elevating their meals at home because they couldn’t travel or dine out in the pandemic. Now that the cost of living is on the up, consumers are still looking to treat themselves well at home. This is backed up by the data, too – with “specialty rolls” sales growing 22 percent in the last year and ‘brioche’ as a category growing at 20 percent. 

Retailers offering a trade up in one area of the grocery store can drive increased sales in other areas – and that’s why getting the offering right in bakery is paramount for retailers. For example, a shopper who opts for a premium brioche burger bun from St Pierre is more likely to pair it with premium meats and cheeses. Our innovative merchandising and standout branding catches the attention of shoppers – and we know that St Pierre shoppers have a higher basket spend as a result of opting for our quality baked goods.  

As a U.K.-based company, we understand the impact of supermarket price-matching and increased cost of living has on the “middle shelf.” As a result, we’ve seen time and again that premium brands win out. Many of the categories where this is true – and especially in bakery – have been renowned for leaning in on private label. This is changing and retailers are recognizing that it is branded offerings that deliver excitement and theatre in the fixture. That in-store theatre is backed up at every consumer touchpoint and as such, the velocity of branded goods is so great that private label simply can’t compete.

Increasingly, retailers are reviewing their private label programs, looking to inject some brand personality in a bid to drive sales, or remove the private label offering all together. In the brioche category, specifically, brands are outpacing private label and have been for some time. Brands are delivering $326 million to retail versus $253 million coming from private label. Clearly, consumers are looking for quality products from brands they believe in and that’s part of the reason the St Pierre brand is growing at 9 percent on last year. 

We invest heavily in marketing support to ensure we continue to build a brand that shoppers engage with. We consistently deliver a quality product and a unique experience that starts in-store with our innovative merchandising and continues at home.

When you couple our approach to brand-building with the fact that our fill-rates average at a market leading 98.5 percent, we become a very attractive proposition for retailers vying for custom in a fiercely competitive market. This becomes even more important during grilling and holiday season when sales peaks mean that retailers really need reliable partners who can deliver on time and in full, to keep shoppers coming to store.

Understanding what ‘value’ means to shoppers is always key – but it is particularly important in the current climate. Bakery is a relatively low value category and with consumers watching what they spend, they are more discerning. It doesn’t mean they’re spending less, they are just more aware of what they perceive as value. This offers opportunity for premium brands – particularly in bakery. The difference between an extra dollar in-store is minimal, but the difference it makes to the quality of a shoppers’ meal is much more significant. 

It is our understanding of the consumer mindset and investment into data and research that keeps us informed and able to stay one step ahead. This year, we are focusing less on new products and more on new pack sizes. We’re working with retailers to offer bigger packs and better value on our core range of brioche burger buns and brioche hot dog rolls. All of our products also offer fantastic shelf-life which means retailers running a program with St Pierre are not risking wastage in the way they might with other brands or private label offerings.

The team is excited to attend shows again this year to share updates on the St Pierre brand and our products. We attended EXPO West again this year and are busy planning for IDDBA in June. We will be sampling all of our products but with a focus on the product ranges delivering most growth – and therefore presenting the biggest opportunity for retailers to drive sales. 

Brand awareness is up. Brand sales are up. As the brand rises, so does our investment in it, with increased marketing spend, additional budget allocated to data and insight to keep us ahead of the competition and continued investment in product quality. Trade shows are a great way for us to demonstrate the value St Pierre adds for retailers and shoppers alike, by delivering a quality experience, every time

St Pierre will be at IDDBA from June 4-6 in Hall E, Booth 1301. For more information, visit stpierretrade.com.

The post Why Brands Are Driving Bakery In 2023 appeared first on Shelby Report.

Haaf brings more than 30 years of retail food service and culinary experience to the association. His most recent position was VP of foodservice and Starbucks operations for Abingdon, Virginia-based K-VA-T Food Stores Inc.

“After a nationwide search, David’s talents, experience and dedication to the dairy, deli, bakery industries made him the clear choice to be the next leader of the association,” said Dominique Delugeau, board chair.

“David’s expansive merchandising and operations experience provides him unique insight into the needs and challenges of our member base and industry.”

Haaf has been an active supporter of IDDBA for more than 15 years. His participation in the retail management forum events and his expertise as an IDDBA committee member has been invaluable.

He shared he is “excited to lay out a strategic plan to create member engagement, attract new members and ultimately maximize the influence of the association throughout the industry.”

Haaf will replace longtime President/CEO Michael Eardley. During his tenure, Eardley directed the association through many changes and positioned it as an industry forerunner to connect buyers and sellers in the dairy, deli and bakery retail landscapes.

Haaf and his family will be relocating to the Madison, Wisconsin, area that is home to IDDBA’ s headquarters. He will begin fulfilling his duties in late April.

The International Dairy Deli Bakery Association is a nonprofit serving the dairy, deli, bakery, cheese and supermarket foodservice industries. Member companies are offered exclusive benefits and services, including the annual tradeshow, research, training programs, management tools and an annual trends report.

The post Haaf Named President, CEO Of IDDBA appeared first on Shelby Report.