There is not much good news for branded cake manufacturers. The current healthy eating obsession is making it a tough enough market anyway, but in the past 12 months, own-label products have increased their share and now account for almost half the category.
If you strip out own label, where sales were up 6.2%, the 2.5% overall growth in the cakes market can be seen in its true context: sales of branded offerings fell nearly 1%.
At the top of the pile, however, Cadbury Mini Rolls actually managed to grow sales 3.1%. Worth £35.9m, the top seller widened the gap from its nearest rival, Mr Kipling Fruit Pies, which fell 8.5% to £19m.
In third place, Soreen continues to power along, with sales of both its loaf and slices formats performing satisfactorily.
RHM's Manor Bakeries, which manufactures Mr Kipling, accounts for eight of the top 10 brands, achieved outstanding performances from five of its top 10 brands.
Mr Kipling Angel Slices did well, leaping an impressive 40.3% to gain a value of £9.4m, while Lemon & Country Slices, Viennese Whirls and Mince Pies also showed double-digit growth.
The brand kicked off the year by targeting the healthy eating trend, with the launch of Delightful - a four-strong range of products that are lower in fat and calories than its standard versions. The better-for-you offerings hit shelves in January.
Three of its other lines turned in disappointing performances, however. Sales of Mr Kipling Bakewell Tarts and French Fancies fell 3.8% and 17.7% respectively with the latter's plummet resulting in a slide down the rankings to ninth place this year.
New owner Premier Foods, which was set to acquire RHM this month, has something of a challenge ahead to return some elements of the brand to its former fortunes.
The other big cake player, UBUK, is likely to be feeling chuffed by the performance of its McVitie's Jaffa Cake Bars. It managed to improve its fortunes, thanks to new flavours and an advertising campaign based around the brand's low-fat positioning, with sales of the treat up 13.2% to £7.6m in the past year compared with a decline in 2005.n
If you strip out own label, where sales were up 6.2%, the 2.5% overall growth in the cakes market can be seen in its true context: sales of branded offerings fell nearly 1%.
At the top of the pile, however, Cadbury Mini Rolls actually managed to grow sales 3.1%. Worth £35.9m, the top seller widened the gap from its nearest rival, Mr Kipling Fruit Pies, which fell 8.5% to £19m.
In third place, Soreen continues to power along, with sales of both its loaf and slices formats performing satisfactorily.
RHM's Manor Bakeries, which manufactures Mr Kipling, accounts for eight of the top 10 brands, achieved outstanding performances from five of its top 10 brands.
Mr Kipling Angel Slices did well, leaping an impressive 40.3% to gain a value of £9.4m, while Lemon & Country Slices, Viennese Whirls and Mince Pies also showed double-digit growth.
The brand kicked off the year by targeting the healthy eating trend, with the launch of Delightful - a four-strong range of products that are lower in fat and calories than its standard versions. The better-for-you offerings hit shelves in January.
Three of its other lines turned in disappointing performances, however. Sales of Mr Kipling Bakewell Tarts and French Fancies fell 3.8% and 17.7% respectively with the latter's plummet resulting in a slide down the rankings to ninth place this year.
New owner Premier Foods, which was set to acquire RHM this month, has something of a challenge ahead to return some elements of the brand to its former fortunes.
The other big cake player, UBUK, is likely to be feeling chuffed by the performance of its McVitie's Jaffa Cake Bars. It managed to improve its fortunes, thanks to new flavours and an advertising campaign based around the brand's low-fat positioning, with sales of the treat up 13.2% to £7.6m in the past year compared with a decline in 2005.n
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