Helping to keep the spirits high while the temperatures fall are the likes of waffles, Welsh cakes, cereal bars and biscotti recently launched by bakers.
Three of the products showcase the national baking heritage of Belgium, Italy and Wales, while the fourth manages to maintain the European theme via its brand name.
Having thoroughly enjoyed getting our teeth into new bakery delights last month, we present our latest round-up of sweet NPD hitting the shelves this autumn:
Welsh Cakes, Brace’s
Having sold over one million of its Welsh cakes in Asda stores over the last 12 months, Welsh independent bakery Brace’s has teamed up with the retailer to launch two new flavours of the sweet treat.
Salted Caramel and Lemon Curd join the traditional plain and raspberry jam versions in the family-run bakery’s Welsh cake range, which was mentioned in the regional bakery items feature last year.
Brace’s new £4m production line, which was installed last year with capacity for up to 16,000 rolls per hour, has allowed the business to expand its product range. Tea cakes have been introduced along with the new Welsh cakes at Asda stores across South Wales.
Italian Biscotti, Crosta & Mollica
Four new authentic biscotti variations have been rolled out by the London-based Italian food brand, which imports all its artisanal bakery products from Italy with a focus on sustainability.
The Crunchy Amaretto (rsp: £2.95 | 140g) have a signature bitter (“amaro”) taste and are twice-baked for a sugary crunch. Meanwhile the Soft Ameretti (£2.95 | 140g), made by same bakers in the town of Sassello near Genoa, feature a marzipan-like centre combining ground apricot kernels and almonds.
Chocolate & Hazelnut Baci (£3.15 | 140g) comprise two hazelnut biscuits, created with locally grown Piemonte hazelnuts, with a creamy chocolate filling. Lastly, the Almond Cantucci (£2.95 | 170g) have been baked until crisp and laden with almonds by a family-owned bakery just outside of Florence.
All four biscotti packs are available for purchase at Tesco stores.
Belgian Waffles, St Pierre
The brioche specialist continues to expand its range of premium European baked goods with two new products – Belgian Waffles with Butter and Belgian Waffles with Chocolate Chips.
Both are made in Belgium to an traditional Liege recipe using real butter, fresh yeast, and whole eggs, with real Belgian sugar pearls add an authentic caramelisation and crunch. They have been launched into 360 Asda stores nationwide, priced at £3.50 for a pack of six individually-wrapped waffles (said to be the first multipack waffle product for the UK market).
Noting that waffles were not traditionally seen as a premium product, St Pierre Groupe head of UK brands Lauren Meadows, said the brand has elevated its waffles to “offer a premium solution in a category that is growing at 14%” (citing Nielsen data for the 52 weeks to 11 March 2023).
The latest full-year results for St Pierre Groupe, which also produces Baker Street and Paul Hollywood brands, had UK sales increase by a fifth to £65.5m compared to the previous year.
Delight Bars, Alpen
An indulgent update to its Light range of cereal bars, Alpen has unveiled Delight bars in six new flavours including Chocolate, Caramel & Shortbread; Chocolate Honeycomb; Raspberry Rocky Road; Salted Caramel; White Chocolate, Raspberry & Shortcake; and Chocolate Brownie.
Coming in under 100 calories per cereal bar, the range is said to be uniquely positioned to cater for consumers wanting a moment of permissible indulgence over ‘cutting back’. The Delight range is available in multipacks of five bars (rsp: £1.99) across grocery, convenience, wholesale, and foodservice from this month.
A ‘Moment of Delight’ national media campaign accompanies the launch, while 40,000 people are being given the chance to trial the bars through a major sampling push both in-person and via the Triyit platform.
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