NPD crucial says giant

Warburtons says it sold 115m units of its Toastie loaf in the last 12 months and that the sandwich thins category is growing.
Warburtons says it sold 115m units of its Toastie loaf in the last 12 months and that the sandwich thins category is growing.

IT’s a complicated time in the bread market says bakery giant Warburtons. Price cuts in supermarkets and the rise in snacking and on-the-go consumption have presented major challenges to wrapped bread but those trends and others have also presented opportunities for other lines.
Nevertheless half of bakery unit sales are of wrapped bread and Warburtons Toastie loaf is the UK’s best-selling loaf selling more than 115 million units in 12 months, up 11.3% on the previous year, the firm says.
On NPD it says its Sandwich Thins, originally introduced in 2011, have been a major contributor to category growth and its Brown Sandwich Thins line is the number one sandwich thin product in the UK.

Warburtons-Brown-Thins-6-Hi-res-CO

The spokesperson said: “NPD is a key area of investment and the brand remains committed to attracting new shoppers to wrapped bread and bakery categories – this is demonstrated by the launch of several new products in the past year including Thin Bagels.”
Demand for free-from baked products is rising and Warburtons, saying it was the first mainstream company to enter the sector with its Newburn Bakehouse bread range, has introduced three new products – a gluten and milk-free classic white artisan loaf, a white sourdough artisan cob and gluten, wheat and milk-free mini wholegrain wraps made with brown rice and maize.
The firm says c-store operators should: stock a full bakery range; ensure products are fresh; display them in an area where the temperature is around 22C; use POS; and ensure the bakery area is easy to spot.

Six-packs have helped Warburtons crumpets take 29.6% of the traditional breakfast baked goods market, the firm says.
Six-packs have helped Warburtons crumpets take 29.6% of the traditional breakfast baked goods market, the firm says.