instore - May 2017 - 14

product knowledge

cafe chains in the United States.
"Most of them carry at least one of our products," he said. "Our focus is shifting toward
retail. We see retail customers looking for
healthier products. They know what we
were able to do in food service. We see more
and more interest in premium retailers,
seeking high quality products. With more
capacity we will be able to supply bigger
players, customers for in-store bakeries or
the deli section."
To grow its food service business, the
company has offered a broadening array of
products from its European market in an effort
to meet the needs of restaurateurs looking for
something distinctive.

Bread and Rolls
Share of Dollars
51.9%
48.1%

Breads
Rolls

Sub-Category Share
of Bakery Bread Sales
39.8%
29.8%
17.3%
8.0%
5.1%

Crusty/Hot Hearth Breads
Artisan
Sandwich breads
Flat breads
Other breads

Sub-category Share
of Bakery Roll Sales
32.3%
20.5%
14.4%
11.0%
10.3%
6.3%
5.2%

Side dish rolls
Sandwich/hard rolls
Croissants
Buns
Bulk rolls
Specialty rolls
Ethnic rolls

Bakery Bread Sales
Have Remained Flat
1.5% Dollar CAGR
2010
2014
0.1 % Volume CAGR
2010
2014
SOURCE: NIELSEN FRESHFACTS

14 * MAY 2017 * instore

$1.53 billion
$1.65 billion
720.7 million
722.5 million

For instance, Bridor has launched a minibaguette with olives and thyme, for fine dining
restaurants.
"For the premium market, we are launching a
new range of products called the bagnet," Mr.
Morel said.
Popular in French Riviera in Nice, bagnets are
crusty on the outside, soft on the inside.
"The flat oval shape of the bagnet makes
them very good to carry around and very
good for making sandwiches," he said. "We
think it's a good fit for the American market,
and we will be pushing it for 2017. It's a very
traditional bread from the south of France,
but it will be baked in the United States.
We have a plain one, but we also will have
one with rye and grains (cracked wheat,
sunflower, flax, chia, oats...).
"We try to stay ahead of the game. The
European market is very traditional. The U.S.
market is very much based on innovation. We
launched a baguette, not made just with white
flour but a blend of buckwheat and white
flour. It has a sour flavor and is especially
doing well on West coast. The buckwheat
brings some coloring to the dough. Buckweat
grows well in Brittany, acidic land."

Bridor has grown in the United States through
expanded distribution, not just new products, Mr. Morel said. Two years ago Bridor's
products were sold more narrowly, but the
company has doubled its number of distributors. The nation's two largest food service
distributors handle the company's products. Still, sales remain heaviest east of the
Mississippi River, he said.

Combating
with innovation
Artisan doesn't have to be old and overdone.
Ace Bakery, a unit of Weston Foods Ltd., has
introduced the baguette bagel, an innovation
the company said combines the texture of a
baguette with the convenience of the bagel.
Ace has been baking baguettes for nearly
a quarter century and describes the new
product as a "baguette on the go." Ace said
the baguette bagel will fit more easily into a
toaster than a sliced baguette.
"This exciting new bagel innovation caters to
those yearning for the ultimate in taste and
convenience," said Roy Benin, president of
Ace. "All bagel lovers will want to try this delicious, new taste sensation."
Ace described the baguette as its flagship
product, baked with only five ingredients,

"Our focus is shifting ...
We see retail customers
looking for healthier
products. They know
what we were able to do
in food service."
Olivier Morel, Bridor
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - May 2017
