17 Aug 2011 The future of sweet treats: To boldly go … smaller
The ‘miniature’ trend has real staying power in the sweet treats category, according to market researcher The Hartman Group. In the latest of a new series of webinars exploring food and beverage trends, Hartman’s director of culinary insights Melissa Abbott said bite-size snacks and desserts were seen by many consumers as a form of guilt-free indulgence without compromising on taste.
But rather than trying to cash in on this trend by producing bite-sized versions of existing products, the most innovative manufacturers were attempting to delight consumers by using unusual flavours and higher quality ingredients to create novel products inspired by top pastry chefs, she said.
As the stakes were lower, consumers were also more willing to experiment with unfamiliar ingredients and preparations with mini desserts and snacks, she added.
Mini snacks enabled consumers to control their calorie intake while “avoiding diet or alternative health ingredients” or unappealing fat- or sugar-reduced products that didn’t feel like much of a reward or treat, said Abbott.
The stakes are low; we’re committing to just a few bites at a lower price point … a tiny dessert can be perceived as a guilt-free indulgence whatever the caloric reality.
“We think of minis as a low-calorie portion controlled treat, kind of like the 100-calorie pack. A pint-sized portion is a license to partake.”
The trend towards high quality ingredients and more experimental flavours was also something that reflected trends in the wider confectionery category, claimed Abbott…..