The health implications of the faithful loaf have come under increased scrutiny as the years have gone by. Now, consumers and suppliers alike are on the lookout for healthier options, healthier ingredients, and alternatives. A report from MINTEL has highlighted consumer behaviour surrounding the topic.

In December of this year (2020), an average of 15,160 Google searches(1) were made by consumers, asking how healthy their choice of bread was. Seeded bread, sourdough, rye bread, brown bread, pitta bread and the list goes on. 

The health concerns surrounding bread consumption regularly are something consumers have worried about for a long time. Recent research from Mintel shows that out of the 97% of consumers that brought bread in the month to July 2020, 44% of them prioritised taste in their purchase. 

The only factors outweighing health are taste and price. 

Health takes a front seat during COVID-19 

Alongside the government’s pledge to fight obesity, and growing health concerns about health during COVID, the research has shown an increase in health concerns surrounding bread. These concerns likely coincide with the fact consumers have purchased more bread during this period. 

The affordability and adaptability to different meals has seen bread take a stable place in the UK’s diet. And while it has worked its way back into most consumers’ diets, still 47% who buy bread see eating a lot as unhealthy. When purchasing bread:

  • 31% of consumers look for high fibre content
  • 40% of consumers find wholegrain most appealing
  • 25% of consumers are looking for health benefits, gut health
  • 13% of consumers are looking for environmentally friendly packaging

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Sourdough on the rise

In 2019, 7% of bread launches referred to sourdough. In the first eight months of 2020, this figure had increased to 12%  (which is a 71.4% increase) of bread releases using and referring to sourdough. 

These releases coincide with the increased interest in sourdough loaves from a consumer perspective. Using sourdough spreads across a range of bread products too, including crumpets, rolls, bagels and loafs. From a bakers perspective, convenience and skills are key considerations when producing products containing sourdough. Fermdor sourdoughs provide a great way to add flavour to artisanal-style breads and bakers can play tunes with a different combination of wheat, spelt, rye and speciality sours, to deliver siganture loaves for a value-seeking consumer.

High fibre, high interest

High fibre content continues to highly interest consumers. The association with good gut health places this nutritonal claim as a popular one, especially given recent events. We have seen a notable increase in this claim on wrapped bread brands, but there is room for craft bakers to join the trend too. 

At Bakels, we know bakers want ingredients which are easy to produce and deliver the very best value for consumers. Country Oven boasts a selection of convenient new concentrates, all used at a 50/50 ratio with flour, to deliver great-tasting bread and rolls, packed with nutritional and health claims.

We believe in doing more for our customers than simply handing over a bag of bread concentrate. Making claims can be a daunting process – we hear bakers ask: “But what claims can I make?” That’s why we have profiled and unlocked all the nutrition claims in the Country Oven range, so bakers have simple base recipes and convenient point-of-sale (supplied by Bakels) to use in their bakeries, to showcase all the benefits of the bread to their customers, hassle-free!

Here to help you deliver tasty and nutritious breads

Whether you’re on the lookout for new sourdough ingredients for your bread lines, or you’re looking for ingredients to deliver your customers with valid claims, we can help, both with ingredients and technical support. We’ve been serving our loyal customer base since 1904. And while the trends have changed, our commitment to provide the best ingredients on the market hasn’t. 

Feel free to contact us with questions or further information about our products. 

 

(1) – Research conducted using SEMrush keyword magic tool, December 2020.