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By Rob Brown rob_j_a_brown@hotmail.com

Publishing: 15 January 2022
Advertising deadline: 6 January 2022
Submissions deadline: 31 December 2021

The Great British Bake Off is over. Not the TV series, of course. But the time that many of us spent experimenting with bread and using a host of jams, spreads and honey has finished – with a £16.7m drop in sales to prove it in the last year, according to Nielsen. So how can the category reinvent itself for our new habits? A £250,000 fundraising drive by challenger Fearne & Rosie suggests healthier spreads may be the answer. Pip & Nut’s touting packaging shifts points to sustainability as a driver. Meanwhile Whole Earth’s experiment with peanut butter honey could put innovation at the forefront. Which will prove the most potent category driver in the new year?

Health: With everyone on a health kick this year, the likes of Fearne & Rosie are courting the market for less sugary spreads. Yeast spread and nut butters have also been sold on their functional benefits. Could such health factors reignite the category?

Sustainability: Earlier this year Rowse Honey said it was ditching black caps to make its packs 100% recyclable, a move it aims to complete by the end of 2021. Nut spread brand Pip & Nut is also moving its entire range into glass jars to reduce plastic. Are shoppers responding to these moves? And what about sustainability concerns for what’s in the jar?

New products: The past year has seen a range of zany new products, perhaps most notably Marmite’s Dynamite chilli variant and Whole Earth’s honey peanut butter. Are these exotic spins on classic products needed to spur some excitement in the category? And what odd ideas will be tried next?

Home baking: The recent boom in home baking led to many spreads being marketed as baking ingredients. Now there are more options for entertainment than making another sourdough loaf, are suppliers changing their approach? Or have they worked out ways to keep us baking in the kitchen?

Innovations: Profile of four new products or ranges that have not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.

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