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| | | Happy Holidays | | From BakeryandSnacks! |
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| | | And just like that, the end of the year is upon us.
The bakery and snacks industries saw a year of significant development beset with scandals, lawsuits and damning reports, but also crammed with promising deals, innovation and commitments.
The year cemented the snackification trend, but the demand for more sustainable, ethical and clean label was never far behind.
Price fixing led the scandal leaderboard in 2023.
One of Canada’s biggest commercial bakeries was slapped with the highest fine on record for its role in a bread price-fixing scheme, while a long-standing egg price-fixing battle was finally put to bed. Controversial, too, is California’s proposed additive ban, which will require the urgent reformulation of more than 12,000 products. More damaging though, is its potential to trigger a patchwork of inconsistent state laws.
A damning report revealed child labour is on the increase in the meat snacks sector; Kellogg’s was accused of ‘illegal discrimination’ and ‘sexualising’ products; ‘all natural’ Patriot Pickle admitted to sodium benzoate use; and Amplify Snacks was forced to suspend sales of the ‘deathly’ Paqui Tortilla Chips.
Other news to cause more than a flutter in 2023 was the runaway inflation, the devastation in Israel and Gaza and the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine – all of which underscored a landscape already pummelled by soaring production costs, supply chain challenges, labour shortages and falling volume sales.
These headlines, however, did nothing to dampen the growth of the global bakery and snacks sectors, which remained resilient in the face of continued market pressures.
In fact, the European Snacks Association’s president is upbeat about Europe’s next political cycle and the opportunities it holds for the snacking sector, while the American Bakers Association’s president told us ‘the US baking industry is in better shape than it was five years ago’.
Strategic reshaping, renewed commitments and M&A activity ensured a wealth of news bites throughout the year, including Kellogg’s split and JM Smucker’s acquisition of Hostess. On the sustainability front, Grupo Bimbo reported progress in meeting its zero carbon emission goal; and regenerative agriculture was big on the agenda.
Focus on humanity and community was not far behind: Stacy’s advocating for women entrepreneurs; an industry-led coalition calling on millers to help tackle the global nutrition crisis; and the Israeli food producers who stepped up to provide frontline soldiers and evacuees with free from meals.
Health was never far from our minds. Yes, consumers still want indulgence, but they are more focused on taking a proactive approach and are demanding functional snacks and baked goods. Think bread infused with avo and seaweed; white bread with the fibre of wholewheat; superfood baking kits; sweet potato Pringles; biscuits that have little impact on blood sugar; the list goes on.
What a year it’s been …
Wishing you a safe, healthy and joyful holiday season, and thank you for continuing to trust Bakery&Snacks as your got-to source of news.
But there’s lots more to come. From industry insights to market trends, we’re here at the coalface to dig it out for you.
Gill
Editor |
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