The muffins market, which has a value of £65m, is growing by 40% year-on-year [TNS 52 w/e July], cashing in on the trend for snack sizes. Sales are set to treble over the next three years according to Speedibake, which claims to be the largest producer of muffins in the UK. "If manufacturers and retailers fully exploit the potential, the market has the potential to hit £200m, becoming the most popular bakery snack," says Speedibake's marketing director Tony Lucas. "Consumers are looking for a light wholesome snack and muffins meet this demand better than any other category in the cake and biscuit categories," he says. The Fabulous Bakin' Boys, which burst onto the UK's snack market 13 years ago with the launch of a range of fun n' funky muffins', says muffin sales account for a "high percentage" of its business. Its range includes seven flavours with Truly Madly Chocolatey and Wild Canadian Blueberry best sellers. To grow sales The Boys ran an on-pack promotion with one of the biggest family films of the year, Ice Age. "The film promotion has been a huge success for us and has shown us just how influential pester power can be," says general manager Tom Russell. Muffins are generally consumed at the impulse/out-of-home occasion but, according to new research, they are also consumed as in-home snacks at teatime and even at breakfast. Speedibake says that trend will help to drive the sector. "Growth will be driven by instore bakeries, brands and front-of-store display and by consumers eating muffins across all meal occasions," says Lucas. With both eyes firmly on this potential, Manor Bakeries has teamed up with Cadbury to produce two Cadbury-branded muffins ­ Cadbury Choc Chunk Muffins and Cadbury Outrageously Orange Muffins ­ which are merchandised away from ambient packaged cake and on the sweet morning goods fixture or with other muffin products. "Linking the Cadbury brand with the muffins sector has been a successful initiative designed to bring new users into the market and grow the category further," says category manager at Manor Bakeries, Hazel Cawthorne. Nestlé Rowntree has entered the sector by extending its Rolo and Yorkie brands into muffin format ­ available in four muffin multipacks across the multiple grocery channel. To further drive growth it has also introduced new individual muffin packs. Launched first in forecourts, the sweets giant intends to make the offering available across other retail channels. Entenmann's targeted snacking earlier this month with the launch of a range of premium individual café style muffins. The range includes three individual variants, Carrot Cake, Double Chocolate Chip and Morning Glory. {{FOCUS ON }}

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