In a recent exclusive article, St Pierre Bakery’s Jake Huber shared a bevy of merchandising opportunities at retail and key strategies to capitalize on them, pointing to the brand’s lineup as a premium solution for shoppers seeking high-quality bread to elevate their home meals.
“The trend for premiumization is here to stay. Brioche offers an easy way to upgrade at-home menus, which is particularly important for shoppers who are spending less on dining out,” Jake, the brand's U.S. Sales Director, tells me. “We’re also seeing younger demographics driving the trend for premiumization, which is great for bringing younger shoppers into bakery, particularly in ISB where shoppers are looking for inspiration.”
“St Pierre is the number one brioche brand in ISB, and being an authentic French brioche sets us apart because we know that 45 percent of U.S. consumers are interested in global bakery products,” Jake adds. “As such, brioche is a growing sector, and we’re driving the category forward with authentic, quality products that deliver a premium offering, which is increasingly being demanded in mass retail.”
This high consumer demand presents retailers with the chance to maximize their specialty sales even as shoppers focus more on their grocery budgets.
“As the cost of living continues to rise, United States shoppers are savvy with their spending, and the perception of ‘value’ is key. Increasingly discerning shoppers will spend a little extra on products guaranteed to provide a better quality product because the ‘little extra’ in a low-value category is affordable luxury,” Jake notes. “However, a shopper who upgrades to St Pierre is also more likely to upgrade in other grilling essentials, and by cross-merchandising premium quality products, retailers can drive increased basket spend and ultimately sales.”
To help stimulate demand for its products—and potentially other complementary categories—the brand has launched its first-ever, above-the-line campaign for the U.S. market, highlighting its quality credentials. Titled Eat Avec Respect, the creative campaign combines the confidence of a ‘stereotypical’ French attitude with the standout humor and playfulness of the St Pierre brand. Officially launched in February, the campaign is running across retailer online channels, social and digital brand channels, and on TV screens via Connected TV in the Pacific, Mountain, West North Central, East North Central, and West South Central regions.
“The St Pierre brand is at a very exciting stage of development, primed to build brand awareness in line with the strong regional distribution we’ve secured over the past two years,” adds Jake. “The new creative captures the personality of the brand and perfectly blends the French flair and challenger spirit for which St Pierre is known. Like everything we do, the campaign is rooted in insight. Our brand truth is that the quality of our brioche is outstanding—it’s elite and so much more than ‘everyday bread.’”
As shoppers look to elevate their at-home meals while still maintaining their grocery budgets, the St Pierre lineup welcomes them into the world of premium bakery products.
As always, keep reading DMN for more insight into the categories lining the specialty department.
