What’s hot?
Covid-19 helped shoppers fall back in love with classic biscuit barrel products. The core bestsellers continue to form part of the nation’s everyday routine and should be every retailer’s number one priority. In fact, last year, they accounted for 96% of total category growth, while fresh twists on classic biscuits, such as new flavour innovation, led the way in NPD.
What’s not?
Lapping the huge 40% growth seen by home lunching last year has been a challenge for plain savoury crackers.
More meals at home in 2020 resulted in an increase of 163 million lunches featuring biscuits – which was driven by subcategories such as chocolate biscuit bars and savoury crackers. However, with consumers venturing out again, including heading back to the office, growth within these subcategories is slowing.
Retailers should instead look to flavoured savoury biscuits. This subcategory is up 4.7% and this increase in demand for delicious savoury snacking biscuits has helped sustain growth for total savoury biscuits.
What’s next?
There are two opposing trends coming up: the resurgence of healthier biscuits and the continued focus on indulgence.
For healthier biscuits, on-the-go formats account for a significant share of this sector and, as out-of-home recovery builds momentum, so does the need for quick-fix, grab-and-go products. This, coupled with a renewed nationwide focus on health, means we expect healthier biscuits to return to growth, and retailers should flex their ranges to help meet evolving health needs.
As for indulgence, we’re expecting a bumper Christmas this year as shoppers treat themselves following the disappointment of lockdown measures last year. With more people determined to make up for lost opportunities to celebrate, we’re projecting 10% to 12% growth in seasonal biscuits this year.
What’s new? Three on-trend cake and biscuit products landing on shelves
Ooh How Jammie
Rsp: 85p/200g
A twist on not one but two classic biscuits, created by blending the two. Burton’s has combined its Maryland and Jammie Dodgers brands for a new range of biscuits. The biscuits blend raspberry dough with Maryland chocolate chips and raspberry pieces. The new SKU is part of its new ‘Kookie Crew’ range, which it has rolled out over recent months in a bid to bring “imaginative new flavours and texture combinations to the biscuit feature”.
Kinder Cards
Rsp: 55p-£1.80/26g-102g
With on-the-go eating making a resurgence, Ferrero has expanded its Kinder brand into biscuits with a new range of Cards wafers. The snacks comprise two thin wafers and a creamy filling, designed to appeal to kids and take pride of place in glove compartments, handbags and kitchen cupboards as the “ideal treat that is perfect for the whole family to enjoy during afternoon activities”.
Jaffa Jonuts
Rsp: 60p-£1.99/43g-4x43g
Just when we thought we’d seen it all. The age-old argument over whether Jaffa Cakes belong in the cake or biscuit aisle just became more complicated. Do these new products belong with the doughnuts? Not so, says Pladis. Though it’s hoping to shake up the category, Jaffa Jonuts can still be found in the biscuit aisle. The Jonuts combine Jaffa Cake sponge, orange and dark chocolate with a ring doughnut shape.
