The changing seasons bring shifts in consumer preferences, from an increased craving for specific flavors to a heightened appreciation for seasonal delights. To stay ahead, in-store bakery owners and operators must closely monitor these evolving trends, seizing every opportunity to align their offerings with the mood of the season.
From shifting flavor profiles to creating immersive experiences, there are effective strategies that in-store bakeries can implement to boost their bakery sales throughout the year.
Adapt Flavor Profiles to Seasonal Trends
Whether it’s pumpkin spice in the fall or peppermint during the holiday season, changes throughout the year impact consumer flavor profiles. Keeping an eye on the popularity of flavors year-over-year can ensure that you are capitalizing on trendy tastes that consumers are on the lookout for each season.
For example, we often think of winter as a popular time for chocolate desserts, but Datassential found that red velvet is now the highest indexing flavor for winter throughout the foodservice industry. Similarly, apple and lemon flavors have been on the decline in recent years, but today, variations like apple cider and lemon merengue are indexing on top once again in the fall and spring, respectively. By understanding these preference shifts or new flavors that will emerge, you can ensure that your bakery is top of mind for consumers looking to try popular items.
Leverage Niche Moments in Time
We all know the major holidays that warrant dessert shopping, but what about the smaller moments in time that present opportunities for limited-time offers (LTOs)? Themed calendar days are a great opportunity for bakeries to get creative, run special promotions and engage with the community. For example, on National Picnic Day in the spring, consider offering portable snack boxes to be enjoyed on the go. National Cookie Day in December also offers a great opportunity to incorporate cookies in all your desserts.
Pop culture moments also create opportunities to capitalize on gatherings. Summertime’s Shark Week by Discovery is a great excuse to offer ocean-inspired desserts for viewing parties, and football-themed sweets are perfect for those getting together with friends to watch the big game in February.
Create Immersive Experiences for Consumers
Social media can be an essential tool for driving organic word-of-mouth buzz. Making an “Instagrammable” bakery display that highlights the season’s most beloved flavors through eye-catching, creative presentations brings more opportunity for customers to share their experiences.
Once you have identified a highly desirable flavor, identify multiple items to appeal to a variety of buying preferences. For example, instead of just offering red velvet donuts this holiday season, expand your inventory to include red velvet cheesecake, muffins, cupcakes and more. This strategy not only enhances sales but also provides options suitable for different occasions and times of the day, while also being convenient for on-the-go enjoyment. It’s also important to keep serving size and multiple price points in mind. By offering single-serve, portioned items in addition to sharable sizes, it can increase purchase frequency and satisfy personal cravings for seasonal flavors while offering lower-priced, affordable indulgences for shoppers.
Another way to upgrade the visual appeal of your bakery each season is to get creative with your displays based on different flavor profiles. If you have a display dedicated to your collection of peppermint donuts or red velvet cupcakes, decorate the surrounding surface with eye-catching details like candy canes, snowflakes, and other items that bring those flavor profiles to the forefront. You can also add complementing items for purchase, like hot chocolate or winter tea blends.
Understanding how consumers’ flavor preferences shift with the seasons is the best way for bakery owners and operators to find opportunities to boost sales year over year. Keep an eye on trends and then maximize them through product offerings and operational initiatives to amplify your revenue.
