Evolving French tastes offers opportunity for bread producers
Writing in the latest edition of Bord Bia’s industry newsletter Food Alert, Paris-based Bord Bia analyst Victoria Larragy notes that French consumers are the second largest consumers of hamburgers in Europe.
She stated that, within the French market, 69% of consumers who purchase burger meat intend to use it for burgers prepared at home. In 2012, €32m worth of hamburger buns were sold, an increase of 16.8% on 2011 levels.
“This growth should offer some opportunities for Irish producers in the bread sector,” Ms Larragy advises. “Recent months have seen a number of new products introduced to the French market within the ready-to-eat hamburger category in an attempt to boost sales.”
Charal, the leader of the hamburger market in terms of frozen and chilled product offerings, has recently introduced two new products to the market. ‘l’instant burger’, composed of 80% meat in a pack of eight (720g) selling for a RRP of €5.90 targeting consumers looking to make homemade burgers with a distinctive grilled taste.
Within the snacking category, Charal has launched a frozen panini suitable for microwave cooking. It is composed of 100% French beef and is augmented with half-dried tomatoes and mozzarella in a 200g panini bun.
French company Daunat, one of the leaders in the chilled sandwich category has launched a similar premium hamburger snacking product. It is composed of Charolais beef and Emmental cheese in a panini bun, and is suitable for microwave cooking also with a RRP of €3.40 (190g).
Within the chilled meat category, Socopa recently launched a product targeting this large and growing homemade burger market — a 110g round beef burger adapted to the dimensions of a burger bun in a pack which includes cheese or burger sauce.
