COVID has wreaked havoc on the world economy, countless businesses big and small have gone bankrupt, and many struggling just to hang on. The food and beverages industry has taken a massive hit due to the widespread shortage of employees combined with the disruption of the logistic industry. This has resulted in shortages of goods in the market while the people are bent on buying in bulk, and the lack of regular customers doesn’t help.
Businesses like cake shops and soft bakeries have been limbing on ever since COVID restrictions come into play; bakeries and restaurants have lost many of their regulars as well as potential customers. Events and gatherings that usually provide the food and beverages industry with bulk orders have taken a real dive.
The lack of raw materials due to the disruption in logistics has caused large shops to run at a snail’s pace but the most affected were the small-time bakers in unorganised sectors. Most of these small-time shops survived with the help of regular customers, but the fear of COVID along with the government guidelines have left them crippled; only the bakers that adapted to this new situation and changed their operational ways have survived.
Because of the boredom and financial devastation created by the lockdowns, lots of independent home bakers have started their own businesses using word of mouth and social media as an advertisement source. The baking industry as a whole has changed a lot, from marketing strategies to customer service experience; COVID has given rise to new trends and practices in the baking business to attract customers.
Here, we will explore the post COVID changes in the baking industry as well as the new trends that popped up to tackle with the situation.
Bakers Next Door
As mentioned above, people have picked up various hobbies during the pandemic to relieve stress, one of the most popular such hobbies is baking. Most people bake to have a good time and for the love of cookies of course but a few of them have exceptional baking skills, combine that with an entrepreneur’s mindset, you get home bakeries, businesses popping up in normal residential areas.
There are countless types of bakery items like brownies, cakes, bread, pastry, pies and even tasty dog treats that can be made at home and sold. It’s easy to start and people can make money using their love for baking. They have help from family, friends and neighbours to kick start their endeavour and all you need is a kitchen, tools and equipment for baking and the skills to get started.
Instagram is great for showcasing baked goods, you can create a page for your home bakery then upload photos and videos of your tasty treats. Ask satisfied customers to tag the page, this works like reviews and increases your credibility. Facebook marketplace on the other hand allows for a wider reach covering cities if the baker can deliver.
Rise Of E-commerce Bakeries
Because of COVID, contactless transfer of goods has become a very popular trend, much like most online shopping sites. Restaurants and bakeries have also started to pick up on this trend and changes their business plans. If the customers aren’t coming to them then they have to take the initiative and go to the customers.
Most of the bakeries have adapted and are successful in creating an online presence. Many have got their websites and some even have their app to keep the business running during lockdowns. It’s now possible to get those tasty muffins or cupcakes without standing in line for half an hour. Logistics is an important part of e-commerce; most bakeries have partnered with local delivery services to get their product to the customers.
Healthier Snacks
Eating healthy has picked up even more traction ever since the coronavirus hit; people now actively try to include more fruits and vegetable into their diets. People are more conscious of the ingredients in their food and now read the labels on the back of the packaged product. Gluten-free snacks, vegan options and fruit type deserts have become quite popular; just follow the Instagram hashtags to see mouth-watering colourful pastries, pies and doughnuts.
Some of the popular items include:
- Pumpkin Doughnuts With Maple Glaze
- Vegan Almond Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Banana Blueberry Muffins
- Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Butternut Squash Muffins
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Almond Bar
- Sweet Potato Tea Cake
You can mix and match some of the ingredients to create your own unique recipes. Healthy snack bars have also become popular during quarantine; they have a longer shelf life and make for great snacks during trekkings and long trips. Healthy snacks bars should contain low sugar more fibre, protein and some nuts, almonds for extra crunchiness.
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