Bagels are one of the fastest-growing bakery products and sandwich carriers on UK menus, according to MCA Insights Eating Out Panel 2017.

With National Bagel Day on the horizon (9 February 2018), New York Bakery Co recently unveiled a new guide offering information on food trends as well as vegetarian and vegan recipes.

Here, Philippa Knight, marketing manager for New York Bakery Co, shares five tips on how bakeries can make the most of the ‘bagel boom’.

Spread the success

“Toasted bagels served with a choice of spreads is a classic New York-style breakfast. Sixty-one per cent of consumers prefer to spread their bagels themselves to ensure they can add as much or as little as they want (Good Sense 2017), so be sure to serve spreads separately. Cream cheese is a must have – it’s the number one spread in- and out-of-home (Good Sense 2017).”

Easy food-to-go options

“The popularity of food-to-go shows no signs of slowing down, so it’s crucial to create compact, easy-to-hold options that can be eaten on the move. The resilient texture of bagels makes them perfect for toasting and serving to-go.”

Bagels are not just for breakfast

“Bagels are one of the top 10 savoury breakfast items chosen by consumers when eating out (MCA Insights Eating Out Panel 2017). They make a great carrier for fillings like cream cheese and salmon, as well as bacon and eggs, but lunchtime fillings go perfectly with bagels too. We recommend New York-inspired pastrami with emmental, mustard and gherkins or hummus and crunchy vegan slaw for something lighter.”

Tempt customers to trade up

“Warm, filled bagels can be offered at higher price points than sandwiches as they’re perceived as more premium, particularly when served with premium fillings (Good Sense Research interviews with 30 coffee shop customers). Simple swaps such as the option to upgrade cheddar for halloumi, for a small price increase, can encourage customers to spend a little more as a treat. This can also be achieved by including ingredients such as sundried tomatoes or olives.”

Authenticity is key

"New York Bakery Co bagels are boiled before being stone-baked. This gives the bagel its distinctive chewy outer layer and soft middle.”

Topics