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The New Breakfast

 

The New Breakfast is booming – right?

In Foodreport, author Hanni Rützler writes that the New Breakfast “(…) is consumed outside the home: in hotels, restaurants, cafés, bars or at market stalls.” Set in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, this statement no longer holds true. Reduced menus and the constant threat of further lockdowns and restrictions are seriously undermining this new-found trend. Even so, in the eyes of the author, our new situation also presents us with opportunities: “Celebrating the ritual of breakfast with family and friends in the home is becoming ever more popular.”

 

The new normal creates a special opportunity

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit at the start of the year, everyday life around the world completely slowed down. The ensuing lockdown put an immediate stop to popular trends such as "Meet Food". The most important ingredient of this concept was suddenly missing: the ability to meet. At the same time, delivery services and take-aways were and still are at the receiving end of an unprecedented boom. Indeed, this is where bakeries have an advantage over other forms of hospitality: To-go products – also for the first and most important meal of the day – are, quite literally, their daily bread. Bakeries everywhere have been given a unique opportunity to uphold the ritual of the New Breakfast. Before exploring this aspect further, it is important to understand the essence of this trend.

 

Needs that are met by the New Breakfast

“Simplicity and hygge, the link between enjoyment and lively social interaction are at the heart of it, (…). The New Breakfast is distinct, casual, international and flexible“, explains Hanni Rützler.

The forced deceleration of our lives has meant that fewer people are eating their food on the hoof. A conscious and pleasurable relationship with food consumed in one place is more on-trend than ever: Slow food, not fast food, is becoming the order of the day. Because this need can no longer be satisfied elsewhere without restrictions, it is increasingly taking place in the home. Not surprisingly, cook boxes are currently experiencing high demand. “We are focusing on healthy, pleasurable but also sustainable nutrition. We want our food to make us feel good,” emphasises Katrin Schleicher, Head of Product Development and Product Management at Wolf ButterBack.

But what does “pleasurable” even mean in this context? “It is encapsulated by on-trend terms such as glocal – a newly coined word combining global and local – sustainability and quality, all of which reflect the spirit of our times,” states Michael Wieland, Team Leader Technical Advice. Katrin Schleicher adds: “For me, glocal means being open to new flavours whilst also focusing on regionality and seasonality. Creating new versions of tried-and-trusted classics is a possible option here.”

 

Breakfast in a Box

This statement brings us back to the actual crux of the matter – the reinterpretation of the New Breakfast in the context of coronavirus and the role bakeries could play. Bakeries can support their customers by maximising their enjoyment, whilst helping them to satisfy their overwhelming longing for normality.

An individual Breakfast Package containing a fine selection of products could be an effective approach. A typical bakery selection comprises all the items on customers’ wish lists:

  • much-loved classics
  • ancient grain products 
  • local specialities

These elements are the basis for a great breakfast. The baker’s own range of snacks broadens the overall offering, lending the package a distinctly brunch character. The Box can be rounded off with a selection of

  • conventional toppings (e.g. jam, Nutella, honey, cold meats, cheese etc – possibly locally sourced) and
  • unusual complements (homemade oatmeal/porridge or vegetable yoghurt in jars, seasonal fruit, different varieties of local eggs, etc.).

And there you have it – an all-round package containing everything for a lavish breakfast! Customers no longer need to forego their much-loved, generous breakfast or go to the trouble of putting one together themselves. All that has changed is that the baker’s breakfast is delivered in a box and served in the home. It’s simple, cosy and pleasurable.

Hanni Rützler knows that there are many ways to be inspired: “Relevant cookery books, blogs and Instagram provide additional ‘background music’ for the Food Trend.”

 

Food for thought of this article: Foodreport from Hanni Rützler