Getting Over Crisis

The sudden lockdowns during the pandemic, resulting in closure of operations and lack of revenue have affected many bakery business owners into dire situations. Some of them have been forced to take hasty decisions which have had long term impact on their business. It has to be realized that recovery from the current pandemic situation is going to be slow and painful. Tough times, prevalent at the moment, demand the bakers to look beyond regular situations and deal with difficult questions that need to be answered, to thrive. For survival and navigating through the crisis successfully bakers will need to understand the present situation and the impact the pandemic will have on their future business. They have to plan to tackle the situation as time progresses. Ashok Malkani tries to gauge the effects of the and how the bakers have to plan to deal with the problems as and when they arise.

- Ashok Malkani

Сorona virus has created a global dilemma for the food industry. Bakery sector too has been affected by the pandemic but not to as great an extent as other segments of the F&B industry. Unlike most industries, the bakery industry seems to have gained from the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to a rise in demand for healthy and functional bakery items like those which consist of multigrain, nuts, and other healthy ingredients. However, if the bakery industry wants to continue to record a steady growth, it has to be constantly aware of the new trends and the changing preferences of the consumers.

Due to the coronavirus, healthy living practices and making sustainable choices have become a norm for consumers around the world. According to a research by Mintel, almost three out of four Indians have cited healthy eating as a higher priority, compared to before the outbreak. Bakers, in general, and brands, in particular, must cash in on this opportunity by strategically pairing indulgence with health benefits. The key to success would be to create baked goods that fit effortlessly into a healthy lifestyle. Bakers will have to offer products that not only satisfy the consumers' appetite for indulgence but also satisfy their guilt for craving for immoderation with health benefits.

The consumption pattern of bread has already seen a major shift from white breads to whole grain and multigrain. This is expected to grow further. Besides this, the bread segment is also expected to see a growth in specialty, ethnic and seeded variety. With the consumers' desire for nutritious and healthier products, freshness, and also more complex flavor profiles, the companies are expected to continue manufacture of fortified and healthier products.