Bakery and snack foods continue to be a growth category in the food industry. Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery Magazine recently observed how cookie manufacturers are catering to our collective sweet tooth by using more chocolate, candy chunks and nuts than ever before, while at the same time focusing on both convenience and indulgence. Food Product Design describes nuts as an “edible accessory that visually broadcasts the high quality of the cookies that wear them” and states that nuts are worth the investment because consumers are willing to pay more for premium goodies with fresh-baked, home-style appeal.
Specialty and artisan breads are enjoying increasing popularity in the bakery category. Breads that have a hearty, rustic quality, interesting textures and robust flavors are most interesting to consumers. Exotic, sweet and crunchy hazelnuts have emerged as a versatile and distinctive ingredient that adds value to bakery and snack products.
Focus on Nutrition
Today’s consumers increasingly recognize the connection between nutrition and health. Hazelnuts are finding their place into many popular and healthy diets, and are part of this trend toward better nutrition. Nuts have received a lot of attention in recent years due to their healthy levels of “good” fats and their potential to reduce the risk of heart disease. The Hazelnut Council has been tracking consumer perceptions of health and hazelnuts for the past three years through a quantitative telephone survey and a series of qualitative consumer insight panels. The 2005 research shows that 72 percent of American consumers are aware of the heath benefits of including nuts in their daily diet. Ninety percent of consumers aware of hazelnuts on an unaided basis perceive the nut as healthy.
The Food and Drug Administration confirmed the health benefits of most nuts in July 2003 with a qualified health claim for nuts which reads, “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces of most nuts per day, such as hazelnuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.” Hazelnuts are an excellent source of healthy, unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants and are cholesterol free.
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The Hazelnut Council’s 2005 research shows that when deciding to purchase foods containing nuts, 82 percent of American consumers say nutrition is important. |
Everyday Indulgences
Hazelnuts’ unique flavor and crunchy texture transforms baked goods and snack foods from ordinary to extraordinary. Incorporating hazelnuts into rich cookies and rustic, gourmet breads allow consumers to indulge everyday. The 2005 consumer attitude study found that 41 percent of consumers say they would purchase products with hazelnuts. In fact, 40 percent of consumers who have tried hazelnuts say that they would be likely to purchase a hazelnut cookie.
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Trend analyst Faith Popcorn notes that consumers today reward themselves with small indulgences and affordable luxuries that often include specialty foods and edible treats. |
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The Institute of Food Technologists reports in its review of food trends that American consumers are seeking everyday gourmet foods with casual indulgence,“mildly upscale casual culinary concepts that are destined to be more indulgent, flavorful, festive and fun.” |
Foods With Exotic Flavors
Hazelnuts, with their European heritage and distinctive, exotic flavor add a unique twist to bakery and snack foods. An increasingly diverse population coupled with American interest in overseas travel brings a taste for new foods home. Hazelnuts help satisfy consumer cravings for new culinary sensations.
Special Memories and Nostalgia Through Food
Hazelnuts are often associated with fond memories of childhood, special occasions and special recipes. Incorporating hazelnuts into baked products and snack foods is like giving your customers a little piece of home. Americans increasingly seek to return to the nostalgia of youth and cherished time spent with family and friends. Woven into fond remembrances of simpler times are vivid memories of grandma’s favorite hazelnut cookie recipe or mother’s homemade bread that filled the house with a mouthwatering aroma.
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