Not so long ago, the pastries market was looking limp and tired, with little to offer shoppers besides the same old traditional sausage rolls or pork pies.
But innovation has brought it new life. It's now worth more than £1bn and grew 2% year-on-year by value [Nielsen 52w/e 15 May]. New formats and brand association may also have encouraged a 1% rise in the number of lunchbox meals that include savoury pastries [Kantar 52w/e 28 February].
In March last year, Wall's launched its Full of Filling range of on-the-go snacks, which includes a sausage roll, pasties and Scotch egg. By October, the range was worth £18.3m [Nielsen].
"There has been an emphasis on reinvigorating the category," says Andy Napthine, head of marketing at Pork Farms, the second-biggest brand of savoury pastry. He adds that the pressure of the recession has encouraged consumers to opt for comfort food and savoury treats particularly ones that can offer something different.
In April, the company teamed up with Peperami and Branston to launch a range of co-branded sausage rolls, including the Spicy Hit roll with Peperami, two Pickle Hit rolls one with Branston and cheese and one with Branston and sausagemeat and a Branston Pickle Pork Pie.
"Peperami fits very well with our core brand because it reaches out to a younger audience and can sit alongside our traditional offering," adds Napthine. "Branston, too, has a very strong core audience and so that helps to bring new people into the category."
Peter's Foods has also been keen to attract the younger audience, and last autumn launched eight different slices under its Premier banner, including flavours such as Mexican chilli and spicy chicken fajita. And leading pastry brand Ginsters has also been busy over the past year, launching a special-edition ham, cheese & leek pasty to replace its pork & apple variant.
In April it expanded its range with the launch of two-packs of its Original Cornish Pasties, sausage rolls and mini-Ploughmans Pork Pies. At the same time it launched a Meat Feast Slice and added BBQ Beef and Fiery Cheese variants to its wraps range. The brand has also been supported by a £3.5m TV advertising and media campaign that kicked off in February.
Focus On Lunchbox
But innovation has brought it new life. It's now worth more than £1bn and grew 2% year-on-year by value [Nielsen 52w/e 15 May]. New formats and brand association may also have encouraged a 1% rise in the number of lunchbox meals that include savoury pastries [Kantar 52w/e 28 February].
In March last year, Wall's launched its Full of Filling range of on-the-go snacks, which includes a sausage roll, pasties and Scotch egg. By October, the range was worth £18.3m [Nielsen].
"There has been an emphasis on reinvigorating the category," says Andy Napthine, head of marketing at Pork Farms, the second-biggest brand of savoury pastry. He adds that the pressure of the recession has encouraged consumers to opt for comfort food and savoury treats particularly ones that can offer something different.
In April, the company teamed up with Peperami and Branston to launch a range of co-branded sausage rolls, including the Spicy Hit roll with Peperami, two Pickle Hit rolls one with Branston and cheese and one with Branston and sausagemeat and a Branston Pickle Pork Pie.
"Peperami fits very well with our core brand because it reaches out to a younger audience and can sit alongside our traditional offering," adds Napthine. "Branston, too, has a very strong core audience and so that helps to bring new people into the category."
Peter's Foods has also been keen to attract the younger audience, and last autumn launched eight different slices under its Premier banner, including flavours such as Mexican chilli and spicy chicken fajita. And leading pastry brand Ginsters has also been busy over the past year, launching a special-edition ham, cheese & leek pasty to replace its pork & apple variant.
In April it expanded its range with the launch of two-packs of its Original Cornish Pasties, sausage rolls and mini-Ploughmans Pork Pies. At the same time it launched a Meat Feast Slice and added BBQ Beef and Fiery Cheese variants to its wraps range. The brand has also been supported by a £3.5m TV advertising and media campaign that kicked off in February.
Focus On Lunchbox
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