“You have to have best-in-class content — storytelling, images, descriptions and bullet points,” he said, noting that even if the purchase takes place in person, research is often happening digitally, so the online presence has to be stellar.

Jamison advised bakers to strategize toward taking the search to the next level.

“Over time, consumers will, instead of searching for ‘bread,’ search for your brand,” Jamison said. “That means getting your products in front of them more frequently and introducing you to more touch points, so the consumer is coming to the platform to search for your actual brand versus a generic search term.”

Regardless, the strategy has to start with leading the overall search results because the brand search starts with the first purchase.

“You’ve got to be front and center in that fight for the experience on Instacart so you’re owning — and defending — that purchase,” she added.

Consumers have grown accustomed to personalized experiences now more than ever, and that is especially prevalent online with social media and other apps creating targeted advertising.

“Online, you can really have products that resonate with very specific consumers, and given all the digital tools, make sure that person finds your product,” Parker said. “It’s much less of a risk to bring something to the marketplace that would have maybe withered at some other part of the store.”

The key, Jamison said, is showing up. That said, it’s only the first step. The next is the strategy behind it.

“You’ve got to invest in how you show up, and you have to make sure you’re reaching your shopper at all of her touch points,” she said. “You can’t skip any … because if you’re not there, someone else will be.”

Once a brand is in that space, conversion won’t happen without conversation, so it’s important to know the consumer and speak her language. That’s especially important in the digital space when tools like Instacart allow people to immediately comparison shop. And it makes strategy critical, and the more disruptive, the better.

“That’s really where digital is changing the game,” Parker said. “We have to compete differently. So, whether it’s ready meals and having retailers tout their amazing sandwiches with specific ingredients and breads or rolls as custom options, or even just the fact that there’s something totally unique available. We’ve never been able to see products like this; we had to go store-to-store to compare. And now they’re all right here on the shelf.”

Next up for Instacart is using platforms like Tik Tok to link recipes right to a consumer’s Instacart cart, so everything except the cooking is done in just a few clicks.

The digital shelf may be shrinking, but the market will never stop evolving, and it’s allowing brands to step off the shelf and meet customers and consumers where they are. It’s an opportunity for bakery manufacturers to concurrently inspire their customers and consumers to create, invent disrupt and try something new.

Online resources for distribution create new pathways for slower-moving SKUs through alternative foodservice channels like small caterers, educational institutions or bakery cafes who only need a few supplementary items.

“We can help foodservice operators solve the accessibility problem for those long-tail SKUs,” Alexan said.  “And we benefit the bakery manufacturer by solving the listing problem.”

Labor shortages and supply chain disruption are causing foodservice operators to reengineer their menus, leaving them to search for single items that can become multiple things.

“They want a croissant, but they can’t just sell it by itself,” Alexan said. “They also want to use it in a breakfast sandwich or a lunch sandwich. How many different occasions can they use this one item for?”

While the foodservice channel, which operates strictly B2B, is a little slower than retail in adopting digital platforms, the heart of the matter is the same. Bakery customers are charting new waters, and the want to be inspired by their suppliers to they can inspire their customers. Those bakeries who invest in showcasing their products and brands online will stand out in the crowd.

E-commerce, like all technology, is a constant evolution, and it’s changing how commercial baking companies do business.

“The next evolution will go from transactional to hyper-inspirational,” Jamison said. “We have such an opportunity that we haven’t even tapped into yet.”