Australian Bakels’ expert reading of market and consumer trends helps the company provide the best solutions for an ever-evolving baking industry. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
At Australian Bakels, staying ahead of industry trends isn’t just a strategy, it’s a commitment.
This dedication to trend-watching is rooted in a deep understanding of their customers’ needs and the broader
market dynamics.
To achieve the best results, market experts at Australian Bakels keep a close eye on trends, ensuring they are always in sync with consumer preferences, helping their clients develop products and solutions that resonate with
current demands.
“I think it’s important for us to keep an eye on trends because that’s what our customers do, and we like to work closely with our customers to help them develop products and solutions that appease those trends,” said Angelique Schmidt, development and application manager, Australian Bakels.
“A customer may come across a trend that is of interest to them, and we can then help with making that a reality. It’s not just flavours and textures in products, but also packaging solutions.”
Schmidt said tracking consumer behaviour was a critical part of recognising emerging and possibly future trends.
Kristen Kuan, marketing coordinator, Australian Bakels says that tracking consumer behaviour is a critical part of recognising emerging and possibly future trends.
“Consumer behaviour is very important when it comes to tracking trends and what products we can help our customers develop,” she said.
“We provide products that appeal to those trends.”
Australian Bakels ensures it has access to both national and international trends to inform its decision making.
“It creates a great overview of the market for us and if there is a gap we can fill, or a pain point that is trending,”
said Schmidt.
“If there is anything we can do to help our customers find success through those trends, then that’s what we do.”
This holistic approach includes tracking consumer behaviour meticulously, identifying market gaps, and filling those voids with innovative solutions.
By leveraging both local and international market trend reports, their marketing department maintains a keen awareness of evolving trends, ensuring they stay ahead of the curve.
In today’s digital age, social media has become an increasingly important platform for trend identification.
“Everyone wants to go viral these days, whether it’s a long-term trend is up to the business to identify,” said Kuan.
“Digital is everywhere these days and usually social media/digital is where those trends tend to originate.
“There’s been a significant trend in recent years around cleaner labels in terms of colours, flavours, and also preservative free products,” said Schmidt.
“We’ve responded by modifying existing products and developing new ones to meet the trends. Through doing that we face our own challenges because it can be more costly than removing preservatives impacts the product’s
shelf life.
However, this shift presents challenges, such as managing shelf life without preservatives.
To achieve this, the expert Australian Bakels team looks at several ways to extend shelf life.
“We look at how best to extend the shelf life of a product either through formulation, processing or packaging. For example, it might be around something like the customers packaging, there are many ways to increase the shelf life of a product,” said Schmidt.
“This is all important because of consumers becoming much more holistic in the way they purchase their food now.
Understanding this dynamic, Australian Bakels cater to customers who are keen on making their products go viral, adapting quickly to the fast-paced changes in digital trends.
Customer feedback is another invaluable tool for Australian Bakels.
“We receive requests from customers, and we recognise the commonality between those needs,” said Schmidt
They pay close attention to requests and by recognising commonalities in customer needs, can craft the best solutions available.
This feedback loop allows them to refine their offerings continuously, ensuring they meet the expectations of their clientele.
Modern consumers are also more health-conscious and environmentally aware than ever.
“Consumers have also become more aware of health and their environmental footprint.
Not compromising on the quality of the product is another key area,” said Schmidt.
“We respond quickly to requests and trends, We do our own blue-sky work and come up with our own innovation based on the trends we see, but we also respond to customer requirements and come up with tailored solutions,” said Schmidt.
“They may have limitations or particular requirements, so we develop specially for them, and our turnaround is relatively short compared to others.”
Sustainability is another crucial area, with consumers being willing to invest in sustainable packaging and proof of provenance for ingredients.
“Sustainability is very important, many customers are more conscious of their environmental footprint and some consumers might be willing to invest in a product that has sustainable packaging or ingredients, or proof of provenance for its ingredients,” said Schmidt.
“Premium ingredients also have a similar impact and is a growing trend.
This trend towards premium ingredients is significant, with consumers increasingly checking product ingredients. Highlighting provenance and premium quality has become essential.
The clean label trend has gained significant traction, emphasising natural ingredients, colours, flavours, and preservative-free products.
“Consumers are looking at the ingredients of a product more these days and one of our reports showed that one in three consumers globally always look for ingredients of interest and calling out that provenance or premium ingredient is important in that case,” said Schmidt.
“For example, percentage of fruit, the filling. We’ve really tried to focus on that with some of our products and a high fruit percentage.”
Another key driver behind this trend is the growing awareness around the environmental footprint of brands
and products.
Australian Bakels has responded by modifying existing products and developing new ones to align with these trends.
“People are so much more conscious now of supporting the environment and I think as a business we have taken that into consideration,” said Schmidt.
“We look at sustainability of ingredients, on top of provenance. And it’s not just about packaging, we look at that, but it’s also about reducing footprints on the environment in several areas.”
“You have to look at other ways where you can manage that. People still have the same expectation of the product at the end of the day,” said Schmidt.
Australian Bakels prides itself on its agility in responding to market trends and customer requests. Their sales team plays a pivotal role, collaborating closely with customers to gather detailed briefs.
The development team then creates tailored products, often conducting trials and providing samples to ensure customer satisfaction.
Open communication and a cross-functional team approach, involving sales, marketing, procurement, development, quality control, and compliance, ensure a smooth and efficient process.
“One of the trends we have seen is around convenience and consistency in quality and supply, especially post COVID,” said Schmidt.
Australian Bakels has leveraged new technology, such as their batch process vacuum cooker, to expand their product range, offering true caramels, sweet and savoury sauces, and various fillings.
This innovation has opened new product categories.
“We are unique in this way, because we also have the capability to do dry and wet manufacturing,” said Schmidt.
By staying attuned to trends and maintaining a flexible, responsive approach, Australian Bakels continue to meet and exceed the expectations of their clients.
Their dedication to quality, sustainability, and innovation ensures they remain a key player in the baking industry, well-prepared for the evolving demands of the market.