bake - May 2013 - 10

news bites

Specialty snacks
enjoy surge

These ﬁndings are included in The

Legendary Baking’s team will use a

State of the Specialty Food Industry

total of 90 lb of fresh-capped straw-

2013, an annual report from the

berries, 28 lb of supreme ﬁlling, 24 lb

Unprecedented demand for top-

Specialty Food Association prepared

of ganache, 20 lb of chocolate cookie

quality foods has pushed the specialty

in conjunction with market researchers

gram, 20 lb of strawberry glaze, 10

food industry to record highs for

Mintel International and SPINS. The

lb of fresh blueberries and 10 lb of

the third year in a row. US sales of

report tracks sales of specialty food

whipped cream.

specialty food and beverages rose

through supermarkets, natural food

14.3% to $86 billion in 2012, more

stores and specialty food retailers

than double the 6.8% increase that

and includes surveys of specialty food

was recorded in 2011. Snacks had the

manufacturers, importers, distributors,

highest percentage of product intro-

brokers and retailers.

ductions in 2012, followed by meat,
poultry and egg products.
Yogurt and keﬁr have leapfrogged
over other foods to become the
second largest specialty food cate-

Sweet Maria’s adds
DIY cupcake bar
Bakery shoppers can now ﬁll, frost

Bakery makes a
202-lb pie

and decorate their own cupcakes
at Sweet Maria’s, an award-winning
bakery in Waterbury, CT, celebrating
its 23rd year in business. Customers

gory behind cheese, claiming $2.27

can choose from a variety of baked

billion in sales in 2012.  Energy bars

cupcakes and ﬁll with their choice

and functional beverages are the

of mousse ﬁllings. Flavors such

fastest growing categories, according

as strawberry mousse, chocolate

to new research from the Specialty

mousse and vanilla pudding vary

Food Association (formerly NASFT).

daily. Customers can top with a
choice of vanilla or chocolate butter-

“Three years of solid growth is

cream, and ﬁnally add a drizzle of

clear evidence that consumers are

dessert sauce, caramel or chocolate

choosing specialty food as part of

before ﬁnishing with an array of

their everyday lives,” says Ron Tanner,

toppings including crushed cookies,

vice president, communications and

coconut, gummy bears and more.

education for the Specialty Food
Association. “Not only the foods but

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) is a huge trend

the artisans and entrepreneurs behind

in dessert preparation, led by the

them are enjoying remarkable atten-

What is four feet wide, more than

frozen yogurt revolution. Cupcake

tion and interest across the US.”

200 pounds and made from scratch?

parties for kids and adult cupcake

A pie at the 12th Annual American

happy hours are just the beginning,

Cheese and cheese alternatives is the

Pie Council (APC) Great American

according to Sweet Maria’s owner

largest category, with $3.6 billion in

Pie Festival, of course. To kick off this

Maria Sanchez.

sales, followed by yogurt and keﬁr.

year’s festivities, Legendary Baking, a

The next largest categories in 2012

national bakery, constructed a larger-

Keeping ideas and products fresh

were chips, pretzels and snacks;

than-life pie in front of a live audi-

is a lifelong obsession for Sanchez,

coffee, coffee substitutes and cocoa,

ence. Legendary Baking’s research

who founded Sweet Maria’s in 1990.

and meat, poultry and seafood. 

and development team, along with

Consistently winning best bakery

Mary Pint, who is recognized nation-

in Greater Waterbury and best

The top claims for new products

ally as the Pie Lady, assembled the

cookies in Connecticut, Sweet Maria’s

are Kosher, Ethical-Environmentally

cake on April 27 at Lakeside Park in

recently completed a re-model, in

Friendly Package and All Natural.

Celebration, FL.

addition to the new cupcake bar.

10 < MAY 2013 | bakemag.com
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