Nonni’s Foods competes with Oreo with seasonal biscotti

09-Mar-2017 - Last updated on 09-Mar-2017 at 10:16 GMT

Nonni's has again launched a seasonal product with its spring-inspired limited batch biscotti. Pic: Nonni's

Artisan bakery, Nonni’s Foods, has launched limited batch spring biscotti to boost market share in the growing snack category.

“This year, Nonni’s Foods’ strategic priority for the biscotti line is to maintain sales growth by offering consumers new consumption opportunities of seasonal biscotti,” Nonni’s senior marketing manager, Patricia Wong Bridges, told BakeryandSnacks.

However, the company did not disclose financial details related to seasonal sales and market share.

“Nonni’s is constantly innovating and baking on-trend treats that consumers crave,” she said. “Our imited batch spring biscotti incorporate the flavors of spring in a guilt-free indulgence.”

Nonni’s has developed seasonal flavor varieties for the winter and fall holidays annually since 2014, the company said.

“Our holiday flavors tend to perform well and we know our consumers look forward to them,” Bridges added.

Growing bakery snacks category

Nonni’s predicted a continuous growth in demand for baked snacks as Americans’ food consumption shifts from meals to snacks with increased focus on “portability and ‘anytime’ snacks,” Bridges said.

“We foresee that many brands will incorporate real ingredients, eliminate GMOs, lower sugar and sodium content, and make other nutritional adjustments in response to consumers’ continued demand for healthier products.”

Nonni's new products - a white chocolate cherry biscotti and a Limoncello pistachio biscotti - are made with natural ingredients, such as eggs, butter, fruits and nuts, according to the company. Each of the biscotti is individually wrapped in a portion-controlled pack; a box of eight retails for $3.29.

Using confectionery ingredients has become a major trend in the snack and bakery space, BakeryandSnacks found.

During the State of the Industry Conference recently hosted by National Confectioners Association in Miami, Florida, IRI analysts noted cereal sales have been flat over the past few years, but cereal products that contain chocolate has “a pocket of growth.”

Snack giant Mondelēz has also launched Peeps-flavored Oreo cookies as Easter is fast approaching.

Facing pressure from cookie giants

Bridges mentioned that Nonni’s brand falls under the premium cookie category, so its main competitors are Oreos and Pepperidge Farm’s Milano Cookies.

“The biggest challenge we face is standing out from larger competitors within the constantly growing snack category,” she said.

“The cookie space is particularly saturated with countless brands, with many manufactured by global companies, making it challenging for our small, privately-owned company to compete for shelf space and consumer attention.”

IRI data that includes US multi-outlets with c-stores for the latest 52 weeks ending on August 7, 2016, indicated the cookies category posted sales of over $8bn, with Mondelēz owning the largest market share, with over $3bn in sales.

During the same period, McKee Foods showed 1.14% sales increase from its cookie portfolio, while Kellogg and Pepperidge Farm decreased by 0.88% and 0.22% respectively, the data showed.

“Nonni’s continued commitment to baking high-quality premium cookie products made with real ingredients provides a significant opportunity for our brand,” Bridges said.