This column is part of our Last Word series, which invites noted professionals to provide closing thoughts at the end of each issue of Commercial Baking. See the full issue here.
KANSAS CITY, MO — The world of food is evolving. New trends, new tastes, changing demographics … today’s consumers are different than those of the past and those to come. That means our industry can never get complacent. We must stay attuned to the ever-changing economic, cultural and social landscape that drives consumers’ wants and needs.
Broadly speaking, in today’s market, we serve two kinds of shoppers. The first is extremely budget-minded, focused on lower-cost products to stretch each dollar as far as it will go. These individuals may be purchasing value brands or small loaves with lower price points. The second type of shopper is looking for products that align with healthier eating trends and is willing to pay a premium for better-for-you attributes. This consumer may seek foods that support a particular lifestyle, such as low carb, gluten-free or organic. To meet these needs and anticipate future market shifts, Flowers Foods keeps the consumer at the heart of our R&D and innovation process, using qualitative and quantitative data from pre-concept to post-launch.
Everything begins with a deep understanding and awareness of the consumer. Our Insights team collects information from various sources and pieces together developing trends that may soon drive the marketplace. We then evaluate gaps and opportunities across our portfolio and work with our Innovation team to develop concepts and pressure test the value proposition. “Value” means different things to different people, so this step is critical. As product development continues, so does consumer research and testing. Once a concept is approved, packaging is designed to maximize shopper interest and marketing plans begin. When new products launch, our focus evolves to understanding long-term purchase behavior.
By allowing consumer and market insights to inform the process from ideation to shelf, we can focus R&D on the most promising projects, minimize costly mistakes from products that don’t perform as well as anticipated, and ensure we meet — and stay ahead of — the needs of consumers. This allows us to be a better partner to our retail and foodservice customers and maximizes growth for our business. As we look to the future, we’re excited to see how the market evolves, and how we can delight shoppers with delicious baked foods that exceed their expectations.
