Welcome to Bite Size Bakery, brought to you by Delhi France, the show where we explore the latest trends and insights in bakery. I'm your host, Alex Hayes, co founder of Harrison Hayes, one of the UK's leading food and drink trends and insight consultancies. It's a pleasure to be here today as we introduce this exciting new bakery series and dive uh into future bakery trends and innovations. Let's dig in and see what's on the rise in the bakery category
world. Over the next five episodes, we'll be uncovering the hot topics that are shaping the future of bakery. And we'll be joined by some fantastic expert guests along the way to offer their insights and get stuck into discussions about the topics that matter most to the industry. In today's episode, we're focusing on a subject that's on everyone's mind, especially as we all feel the pinch post Christmas Value. We'll be talking price, loyalty, premiumization, affordable luxury and the
power of deals. How are these factors influencing the way consumers make decisions? And how can bakeries stay competitive in a market where value has never been more important? We'll break it all down and explore what's happening on the ground. You won't want to miss the four upcoming episodes either as we'll be talking all things plant based and sustainability in baking as well
as global flavours. What's next for comfort food, snacking and coffee shop culture, and how bakery shows up best in our schools and universities. And we'll also take you behind the scenes for an exclusive look at, uh, how innovation drives the creative process. So, lots to come over the next few months. We can't wait to take you on this journey through the world of bakery. Let's get started. In this first episode, we're exploring the all
important topic of value. With so much pressure on prices these days, it's more relevant than ever. But value isn't just about cost. It's about experience, loyalty, premiumization and even affordable luxury. We're talking about everything from meal deals to how brands can offer an escape through indulgent premium products without breaking the bank. To guide us through these themes, I'm excited to welcome our special guest, Stephanie Brillouet, the Marketing Director at
Delhi France. A quick introduction to Delhi, France. Since its creation in France in 1978, Delhi France has been developing bread, vinoiserie, pastry and savoury products for food service providers, bakers and retailers in 100 countries around the world. Stephanie has great insights into how bakery brands are adapting to evolving customer expectations around
value. She'll be Sharing her expertise on how we balance quality with affordability and why loyalty and experience play such key roles in today's market. Welcome to the show, Stephanie. Hi Alex. It'd be great to start with just understanding a little bit about your role at Delhi France. And what's your favorite bit about your job? So I uh, basically look after a lot of different things all the way from category management to uh,
innovation as well. So it's uh, quite a large remit and I've got a team working with me and what we do is look at trends, insight and try to answer consumer needs and working very closely in partnership with our customers to actually bring them delicious bakery products. So as you can see, I do quite a lot of things. So what I really like about my job is a, um, variety of projects and also all the different people I meet on a daily basis. Great. Sounds like you've got a lot of variety now.
You know, we're talking about value here. Um, and what do you think value really means to people, to consumers, um, today? Is it all about price or are there other criteria that come into value expectations? Well we know from research actually it's not just about price. One of the major factors in buying a bakery product is quality. Quality is very, very important to a consumer. And it's about prioritizing quality, even actually
over ah, freshness and price. Freshness is still very key, but actually all that comes above price. So consumers are really, really looking at um, what they get and a uh, good value from an experience basically. And it's all about affordability as well. So um, obviously every consumer, they will have a different budget, but what they really want is this value from ah, pastry or bread for example. And one um, thing we know is that consumers are actually um, looking at indulgence. So
indulgence is a key driver. And this is this experience, the full experience of a bakery product. So what it looks like, what it smells, smell is very key. And this quality of products. So it's uh, about perceived value, uh, more than anything else basically. And we also see special in the um, current environment that sustainability is becoming more and more important. So it's really looking at uh, sustainability versus affordability as well. And quite a few consumers are actually
rethinking about their choices. So value can actually be um, linked back to ethical and environmental factors. So it's not just about price. Actually. A little bit more complicated than that, no. Ah, absolutely. It sounds like there's a lot of factors um, involved there. And what, what do you think about value when we're thinking about the course of a week. Um, is it. Are consumption habits changing throughout the week? So a Monday versus a Saturday, for example.
So consumers are quite interesting because they are um, creature of habits. But they really can make a difference between what we love during the week versus what we will eat at the weekend. Um, you know, um, it's about treating. So during the week we have a little bit less time. So we know that uh, from research that we did that Viennoiserie is actually um, a staple product with 64% of consumer eating pastry weekly. So that's quite a lot. And 42% actually eating pastry multiple times
throughout the week as well. So you know, you can see that there is definitely an appetite for pastry. And so this means that product can be different depending on the day of the week as well. And at the weekend consumer will have more time. So they're really looking at indulgence. They could be looking at a full breakfast for example, or a full plate of pastry. Really taking time with family, friends, either in home or out
of home. But so that means that they are probably not spending the same amount of money during the week versus, uh, during the weekend. I'm definitely one of those people that indulges in pastries quite often. And we talked about quality and the importance of quality. Could we understand a little bit about this kind of, this balance between quality and price and how you get that balance right, um, and using great quality ingredients for example, but still maintaining that price.
So we know that the uh, premium end of the uh, bakery market, uh, is still growing. So we definitely know that there is an appetite for um, you know, qualitative premium products. Consumers actually are making more informed choices as well. So they're looking at, you know, maybe buying slightly less but buying better quality products, also looking at
less wastage as well. So all this is actually part of the premium and price choice, um, of consumer, uh, um, so they're really looking for value for money, added value products as well. And a way of doing that is looking at portion control, for example. So maybe they will buy smaller pastry, different type of pastries, looking at affordability, what they can afford this week actually versus another week or a month. And I think what we saw is strategic pricing as well and premium
ingredients. So um, at Daily France, for example, we've got a range of products for different wallets. So we love, um, products which are more at an entry price, looking different type of uh, ingredient, but also, uh, product using, for example, um, premium butter, butter with provenance. So AOP Butter or looking at sustainable flour for some of our bread. So really we can adapt depending on consumer needs and
consumer price elasticity. I mean it's a bit, you know, for use a bit of a uh, technical term here. But um, uh for us it's very important to make sure that we've got the product to answer every consumer needs and our customer needs as well. Because our customer also play position, ah, at different level of um, entry to more premium um, market as
well. And we've got an initiative which is called um, Baking Good Better which is really looking at uh, our commitment to quality while still meeting consumer ethical expectation. So looking at sustainability because this is really part of the entire need of uh, consumer demands. So it's not just about price, is actually the perception of the products beyond the price. Thank you. It sounds like your offering is evolving all the time to cater to evolving needs and wants, um, of the customer.
Absolutely. So your research actually indicates, I know we're talking about value here, but the research actually indicates, your daily France research that customers are actually consumers. They're actually spending more on takeaway pastries and bakery indulgences, not less. Why do you think that is, Stephanie? I think it's all about um, what we call affordable luxury. So we are lucky in a way that um, we're not selling uh, high end cars or things like that with a
high tech price. What we're selling is bakery products. So it's about making sure that they're accessible products. So they are indulgent. People can't resist them. They can't resist the smell of a pastry, even the smell of a freshly. Neither, but even the smell of freshly baked bread as well. So it's all about this um, this uh, treating you know, you know, I want to feel a little bit better. Maybe I'm having a slightly off day. So you know, croissant pick me up. Except
it's a little pick me up thing. So I also call it the lipstick effect. So that's uh, something which um, you know for us it's quite important because you know, I might not buy a Chanel handbag, but I might buy a croissant. Well a lipstick. And then the croissant is the lipstick of the, of the food world basically. You know, so it's all about this affordability. Um, and also we know that uh, bakery is quite an impulsive um, category. So consumer will walk past a coffee shop or pass um, an
in store bakery. Actually they didn't know when they went there that they needed a croissant but by the time they actually come, uh, through the door, they will actually pick up a croissant because it's at a price point that most consumer can actually afford. It depends what willpower you have, doesn't it? Yes. Or which day of the week it is. Absolutely. So it seems that the bakery categories, we talked about some things that really feel like they're, they're creative ways that offer value, ah,
that go beyond price. You talked about mini formats and things like loyalty as well. What do you think is the most effective um, in appealing to customers and why? I think um, it's about um, experience as well. So for example mini
format is great as a sharing plate. So people, you know, consumer can still have a great time together but actually maybe not feeling guilty because it's a slightly smaller pastry or sharing on the oven you can see bigger pastry that actually consumer can share as well. So it's mainly about the experience you can have for what you can afford. So minis and portion control is really key in this area. Um, loyalty program is actually something that more
and more of our customers are developing. So it goes all the way from a drink, a hot drink with a pastry, which is very, very popular with consumer. And it's actually driving for the um, coffee shop or whichever outlet it is, is actually driving consumer to in a way probably consume a little bit more as well. So by offering them um, m an offer or promotion or loyalty program, actually you get consumer through the door and once they're in they can actually pick something.
So I think a loyalty program is definitely something we've seen a lot of our custom developing try to make it a little bit more affordable for consumer as well, especially in the current climate. So I think it's very key for me to look at all the different way that consumer can actually pick up uh, a pastry and add it to their shopping basket. I guess maybe kind of curating these things for them and helping them with their decision
making. Do you think packaging can play a role in offering good value? Yeah, I think so. I think um, it's all about the uh, visual aspects. Uh, and consumers firstly shop with the eye. So at the end of the day it's very key to see what the product looks like, but also it's packaged and making sure that freshness is kept because as I said, the consumer are not always looking for price, but they're looking for quality and freshness.
So if you buy something which you think it's affordable but then you're disappointed by the quality of the products, that's not going to work. So packaging is definitely key for uh, some of the uh, option we also um, can see on the market range of bake at home
products. And these bake at home products are more and more uh, popular with consumers because first they offer good value for money because you get more than just buying a single product and that can help actually enhancing value perception and also convenience. Especially if you want to uh, have the
smell um, of bakery at the weekend for example. So consumer will actually pick up one of those bakerton products and bake it on Saturday, share it with family and uh, friends which is uh, quite key and it's better value for money at the end of the day. And the other thing we can look at which um, you know consumer might think that sometimes you would add uh, more cost to the products. But eco friendly packaging is really key as
an added value as well. So it's about you know, making sure that you mix the sustainability credential of a product with the price point of um, the pastry. Um, so it's really important for us at Daily France as well to look at more environmentally friendly solution as well. Making sure that we give, give the consumer the best package for their money and make a better uh, eco conscious uh, decision.
Yeah, no thank you. Now hybrid um, pastry, um, something that's very prevalent, um, always in this category. And products like the cronut, um, they're often pitted against kind of the more traditional core pastry items like the everyday croissant. How do you think value will impact almost kind of both sides of the category in the future? There is definitely a space for um, more uh, traditional products and also hybrids product. I mean the traditional products is
actually the bulk of the market. Consumer love a croissant, pain au chocolat. This is really uh, something that they can have. I wouldn't advise you to have it on a daily basis but it's something that actually it's easy to pick up. But in order to um, entice consumer into the category, a lot of bakers, traditional bakers or coffee shops actually try to develop hybrid products. So there is definitely a need for both. And an entry level product
is always great. And you probably don't want to eat a cronut on a weekly basis either because it might be a bit much. But I think we need these products to actually show that the bakery market is evolving, that there is space for creativity which is very important. Um, and creativity can actually be done uh, via ingredients, slightly different shapes. Um, and I think talking about ingredients, it's always quite important for, uh, all of us in the industry to actually understand,
um, price point of different ingredients. Some ingredients are more expensive than others. So, you know, developing maybe in time of slightly crisis, you know, developing, uh, product using slightly cheaper ingredients. It's a way to actually also reduce, um, reduce cost of a product as well. So definitely there is a need for entry level, more classic products and hybrid products just to make sure that
consumer have choice. Consumer like ch. At the end of the day, you know, that's why they come over and over again to this, uh, category. Well, it's a category which lots of people look to, I think, in terms of innovation and inspiration. The bakery category. It certainly doesn't seem to be short of novel ideas and, um, fantastic creations. Absolutely.
So some of the highlights of our conversation, Stephanie, around value seem to be the importance of tiered offerings for customers to suit all budgets, tastes and occasions. Really thinking outside the box when it comes to value and to offer real loyalty. Absolutely.
Balancing. We talked about. There's a lot of, uh, conversations about balancing quality with price and riding that careful balance and really communicating that clearly to customers and really innovating with new products and formats that just suit evolving wants and needs that are constantly changing and satisfying tomorrow's customer. Yes. Now, Stephanie, you must have had the absolute pleasure of tasting
a lot of delicious bakery products. Is there one kind of standout taste sensation moment, um, that you can name off the top of your head that you'll never forget? Um, quite a few, to be honest with you, because I do eat a lot of, uh, bakery product, either from daily France or from a bakery. So, uh, but, um, one other thing I remember, um, I did, uh, uh, quite a little while ago, we developed m a chocolate bread and um, I fruit chocolate bread.
For a French person, bread with chocolate is a little bit weird, to be honest with you. And I toasted it and I put some, um, uh, peanut butter on it and oh my God, that was divine. So, you know, it's just amazing, basically. So what can I. Where can I get my hands on that? Sounds delicious. Now we end each episode with a quick fire round. So you're in the hot seat. Um, I don't want any hesitation and just say the first thing that comes into your head is that. Okay, that's fine.
Okay, so croissant or panachocolat? Uh, croissant with almond in it, please. White or wholemeal? I should say allmeal for, uh, you know, health purposes, but maybe, uh, yeah. Allmeal then baguette or Unsliced loaf. Definitely a baguette. I'm French after all. Pastries for breakfast or any time you like breakfast. And indulgent or healthy? Definitely indulgent all the way. And what's your guilty pleasure when it comes to bakery? Apart from that chocolate loaf with a peanut butter.
Is there a secret indulgence that you absolutely can't resist? I do love, um, cinnamon bun. I love cinnamon and I think that's delicious. Lovely. And future flavors. So at the end of each episode we ask our guests to predict the flavour that they think we're going to be seeing a lot more of over the next year. Is there one that kind of springs to mind that uh, you think is going to be trending? Um, I think I'm going to keep um, to quite a simple
actually ingredient. But um, pistachio, I think it's a uh, thing we've seen a lot more and I uh, don't think it's going to stop. Obviously you know, pistachio is not one of the cheapest ingredients out there but uh, it's actually quite a good ingredient in pastry. Works really well. And uh, we're seeing more and more development around uh, pistachio based products. So definitely pistachio.
Sometimes it's not all about the wild and wacky is it? But more the, you know, the core ingredients that just work. Yeah. We also said that you know, for innovation sometimes is great for consumer to actually see maybe a different shape with an ingredient they understand or a new ingredient. It needs to be quite accessible and they need to really get it. So uh, I mean it's great you can develop a lot of amazing uh, flavor but if you really want to sell quite a bit of it, keep to the main street.
Flavor versus a fad. Exactly. A huge thank you to you Stephanie for joining today. I really enjoyed our conversation and for you sharing your insights that are so valuable we really look forward to or I really look forward to, uh, tasting more pistachio flavoured creations in the, in the near future. Oh, thank you. It was really great uh, having a chat about pastry and the bakery world. Thanks for listening to Bite Size Bakery, brought to you by
Delhi France. There's a whole host of information on the Deli France website, details of which can be found in the show notes. I'm Alex Hayes of Harrison Hayes and we'll see you next time.