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BREAD & BAKERY OM PAGE 51 FR Mr Brunt claims the “bread in a box” product is the only one worldwide designed to be made and baked in its packaging. “Anybody can be a baker,” he said, pointing out that 90 per cent of outlets ranging the product do so within their bakery section. Mr Brunt says many bread and bakery trends come from Europe. He predicts 2020 will see many more bakers in Australia introducing olive breads, sundried tomato breads and the like, although he added: “I’m not sure how much traction those flavours will get.” Speaking about fine bakery trends, he cites waffles, alluding to a move towards smaller, dessert style – “little, square, soft, fluffy” – versions of the product. The bread and bakery category is growing and “will continue to grow”, Mr Brunt says, but one of the main challenges he has noticed is consumer unwillingness to pay the price required for catering to their product desires. “Customers want a variety of breads, in particular keto, high protein/low carb, but \[they’re\] not willing to pay for it,” he said. “As a bakery supplier, we’re working hard to get costs out of the supply chain.” On a wrap attack mission Established in 1959, Mission Foods is one of the world’s largest tortilla, flatbread and corn flour producers, claiming to manufacture more than 25 per cent of the world’s flatbreads. Mission launched in the Australian market in 2009, with its ranges now stocked across all major supermarkets. Its flatbread products for the retail market are made in a purpose-built facility at Epping in Melbourne’s north. “Mission wraps are the market leader in the flatbread segment and are well known for their quality and taste,” Gruma Oceania National Marketing Manager Elizabeth Koukeris said. The major influencers on the wrap segment are health and wellness trends, she says, in agreement with many observers across the industry. “The growth of subsegments such as gluten free, low carb, low GI and protein has seen strong NPD activity over recent times,” she said. “Plant-based options and the growth in vegan options are also driving significant innovation.” Such developments mean securing shelf space is a challenge, says Ms Koukeris, as is the emergence of new brands and increased offerings in private label. “As the demand for ‘better for me’ or ‘lifestyle eating’ options continues to grow, a ranging balance will need to be found at retail level,” she said. Looking ahead, Ms Koukeris believes wrap popularity will continue to grow as consumers look for versatile, quick and convenient health products. “There are emerging dietary trends that we’re observing, and the key is to unlock how these fit within the bread and bakery category and our brand,” she said. Organic benefits on the Bill of fare Bill’s Bakery has been making “delicious, certified organic stoneground sourdoughs for more than 20 years”, according to Manager Lyn Roberts, who says the brand’s aim is to “inspire healthy living through healthier choices”. As consumers become increasingly health conscious, it’s unsurprising that Ms Roberts describes the performance of Bill’s Bakery in retail as “fairly steady”. “Organics generally experience slight growth each year as people become more aware, and as certified organic has grown gradually over the past 20 years, we anticipate this trend will continue,” she said, adding that Bill’s Bakery products are Australian Certified Organic. Bread products tend to perform better in the cooler months as consumers seek warmth and comfort, Ms Roberts says, with Bill’s Bakery well attuned to this pattern. Products she says are performing particularly well at Bill’s Bakery include “those made with ancient grains \[eg, spelt and khorasan\]”. She puts this down to increasing health problems such as asthma and intolerances. “I think some people have an intolerance to ordinary wheat ... and people are \[also\] seeking to be healthier,” she said. Bill’s Bakery is continually trialling different products, especially as new superfoods come on the market, Ms Roberts says, adding: “We’ll possibly be doing some R&D with gluten free and the grain sorghum.” Rising to low carb, high protein Established on the back of 170 years’ experience in Germany and France, Herman Brot launched in Australia in 2013 and is said to be a unique Australian supplier of high protein, low carbohydrate and low GI staple foods. Owner/Director Christian Coenen says the Australian owned company “has an incredibly long baking tradition and history, and supplies freshly baked products nationally every day”. With competition in the low carb, high protein bread and bakery space currently “on the lower end” of the scale, according to Mr Coenen, the Herman Brot product range includes low carb bread and high protein buns as well as low carb pasta and protein muesli. “The benefits of these natural and “The growth of subsegments such as gluten free, low carb, low GI and protein has seen strong NPD activity over recent times.” 52 RETAIL WORLD APR, 2020