I can almost smell baked goods wafting through the air as I talk with Robyn DeFina, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Sugar Bowl Bakery™. As Robyn weaves a tale of the new products hitting retail shelves, the anticipation for new and nostalgic flavors is almost palpable.
“We have some new seasonal flavors like our Banana Bites and Raspberry Dipped Madeleines available now and perfect for ending summer on a tasty note. In addition, we will be introducing our fall season lineup this month, which will include limited-time offerings of Pumpkin Spice Madeleines and Pumpkin Spice Blondie Duet Bites,” Robyn explains to me. “Our Pumpkin Spice Madeleines are a little blend of pumpkin, spice, and everything nice— they are deliciously soft, moist, and flavorful and a great pantry staple for fall. Our Pumpkin Spice Blondie Duet Bites perfectly combine pumpkin, spice, and the rich vanilla and brown sugar notes of a blondie in one delectable treat.”
Sounds like heaven indeed!
Pumpkin spice is a major flavor trend consumers gravitate toward to elicit autumn moods. Reminiscent of warmth and comfort, the flavor brings shoppers into stores looking for indulgence that satisfies their cravings quickly and easily.
Aiming to keep the seasonal momentum going, Sugar Bowl Bakery will be front-lining its winter holiday lineup with its Peppermint Duet Bites, Gingerbread Bites, and Mango Cakes.
“Peppermint Duet Bites are part brownie and part white cake with candy cane pieces mixed throughout. They are fudgy and one of my new favorites,” says Robyn. “Our Gingerbread Bites are gingerbread cake bites with the right blend of ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and clove. After the winter holidays, our consumers can ring in the Lunar New Year with our Lunar New Year-themed Mango Cakes. These miniature cakes contain real mango pieces for a fresh mango flavor that will delight the entire family and bring ‘good fortune.’”
To keep up with demand for both its customers and consumers, Sugar Bowl opened a new 170,000-square-foot facility in Tucker, Georgia. With its bicoastal manufacturing capabilities, the baker has more than doubled its capacity and improved redundancy and business continuity to decrease supply risk for its customers.
“Our Georgia facility, which will create 400 new jobs in the community, also enables us to reduce our carbon footprint via regional sourcing to lower emissions on ingredient supplies and the ability to service east coast customers from 2,500 miles closer,” Robyn tells me. “As a minority-owned business, we are active members in state, regional, and national minority supplier development councils to work toward the support and advancement of business opportunities for certified minority business enterprises. Furthermore, as an Asian American-owned company, we also support AAPI communities with our support and involvement with the Asia Pacific Fund.”
With many of the company’s SKUs made and packaged to share, these product drops couldn’t arrive at a more perfect time as consumers are safely gathering again. Because its products are high quality and have an elevated appearance, Sugar Bowl’s confections present well for any special occasion. Or, as my family often does, shoppers can grab a few to take on the go in the morning for a sweet treat, as all the baked goods are individually wrapped, clock in at less than 150 calories, and contain less than 10 grams of sugar per serving.
“Two trends that we saw accelerate during the pandemic and expect to continue post-pandemic is the rise of both indulgent products and better-for-you products,” illustrates Robyn. “Moderation is key for many consumers today who want to indulge or find comfort in a sweet treat now and then, but consumers often don’t feel good about store-bought desserts because they often contain high amounts of calories and sugar, artificial flavors, colors, and other harmful ingredients. Additionally, so many of our products come individually wrapped or in convenience packs with 3 pieces—perfect for portion control or grab-and-go snacking.”
Using only the highest quality ingredients, Sugar Bowl Bakery delivers on its mission to bring quality products that address consumers’ needs. Founded in 1984 by the Ly Brothers, who immigrated from Vietnam to America, the company has grown to be one of the largest minority-owned bakeries in the U.S.
The company continues to give back to its communities by providing educational scholarships for students from under-served communities; financial support of small, minority-owned business development programs; and offering training, development programs, and living wages for its diverse employees.
What new releases will we see on the shelf as the year enters its latter half? Deli Market News will report.
