Rolling out in the UK under Allied’s Kingsmill brand from this month, Toasties are designed to be cooked in a toaster to give a crisp, golden outside and a "soft and pillowy" middle filled with fruit pieces. Each Toastie can be torn across the middle to form two triangles.
Sold in packs of four at a recommended retail price of £1.19 ($1.53), Toasties are available in three flavours: Mixed Berry, Cinnamon & Raisin and Honey, Oat & Red Berry.
The launch also sees the debut of a new packaging design for Kingsmill - one of the UK’s three biggest bread brands – that will roll out across the range this winter.
'Neglected for too long'
Allied said it was hoping to reignite consumer interest in baked goods at breakfast – particularly for those consumers who had shifted to alternatives such as cereal or breakfast biscuits.
“The bakery category has been neglected for too long,” said Allied Bakeries category director Zoe Taphouse. “Despite bakery appearing in more shopping baskets than any other category, the category seems uninteresting to many.”
“We need remind them how it can be both exciting and delicious.”
Bread consumption decline
The launch comes as UK plant bakers remain under pressure from a decline in consumption of standard sliced bread and as intense price competition between retailers pushes down the price of bread.
According to data from retail analysts Brand View for the UK’s three largest bread brands - Warburtons, Hovis and Kingsmill - the average price of a standard large loaf has fallen from £1.16 ($1.52) two years ago to £1.06 ($1.38) this summer.
Allied believes Toasties can be worth £5m ($6.4m) in their first year on shelf, and bring £3.8m ($4.9m) incremental value to the category.
“Our investment in Kingsmill Toasties and future plans echo the scale of our commitment to the category,” said Taphouse.
Allied Bakeries, which is part of international business Associated British Foods (ABF), also produces the Burgen, Allinson and Sunblest brands from nine production sites across the UK.