The top 10 US bread suppliers in 2017: Rising sales for Aryzta, Bimbo and Flowers

By Gill Hyslop

- Last updated on GMT

Despite the negative image that bread has, it is still rising to the occasion in the US. Pic: ©iStock/Tverdohlib
Despite the negative image that bread has, it is still rising to the occasion in the US. Pic: ©iStock/Tverdohlib
US fresh bread value sales have flat-lined so far in 2017, but there are some rising stars, IRI data for the 52 weeks, ending June 11, 2017 shows.

The 120-year old former Irish co-op Aryzta experienced a whopping 7.6% increase in retail sales over the period, while Sara Lea maker Grupo Bimbo and Dave’s Killer Bread producer Flowers Foods continued to shine in the sector, each noting a 2.2% rise in retail sales.

However, there was not much change in the overall bakery sector, with a mere 0.1% rise to $13.31bn from the year prior, according to IRI data.

Unit sales dropped -0.4% to just more than 5.7bn units, while price rose a nominal $0.01 to an average price of $2.31.

Top selling bakery categories (excluding sweet baked goods)

Source: IRI 52w/3 June 11, 2017. IRI is a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide)

RankingCategoryRetail salesChange vs YAUnit salesChange vs YA
1Fresh bread$9.09bn-0.2%3.83bn-0.4%
2All other fresh rolls/bus/croissants$2.13bn2.8%758m2.0%
3Hamburger and hot dog buns$1.97bn-1.4%1.11bn-0.6%
4Bagels/bialys$834m-2.5%290m-1.1%
5Pita bread$113m-2.5%61m2.3%

Changing tastes and other challenges

Bread endures as a staple of the US diet, although consumers are eating it less frequently and in smaller quantities.

Changing nutrition trends has negatively impacted US bread production over the past five years.

Market researcher Mintel said consumers generally have a negative health image of bread​ - carbs, sodium and fat levels – and operators have had to scramble to keep up with changing fads like low-cal, whole grains, artisanal and gluten-free.

The latter trend is having an ever-reaching effect of turning away even hard core bread-loving Americans, not just those with a coeliac allergy.

Top 10 US fresh bread suppliers

Source: IRI 52w/3 June 11, 2017. IRI is a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide)

RankingCompanyRetail salesChange vs YAMarket share
1Grupo Bimbo$2.44m2.1%26.8%
2Private Label$1.97m-4.4%21.6%
3Flowers Foods$1.89m2.2%20.8%
4Campbell Soup Co$639m-4.7%7.0%
5Aunt Millies Bakeries$192m-0.8%2.1%
6Lewis Bakeries$179m0.4%1.9%
7United States Bakery$155m2.8%1.7%
8Aryzta$112m7.6%1.2%
9Pan O Gold Baking Co$96m-10.7%1.0%
10H&S Bakery$87m0.5%0.9%

Soft start

Compounding this, the industry has faced volatile input costs – especially from wheat and sugar – and rising competition.

According to Allen Shiver, CEO of Dave’s Killer Breads producer, Flower Foods, the bakery market remains highly competitive “as retailers and bakers finds a balance between improving margins and building market share”.

Alfred Penny, president of Bimbo Bakeries USA, concurred, stating during Grupo Bimbo’s Q1 2017 earnings call that the industry has definitely experienced a soft start to the year.

Armed with IRI data for the 52 weeks, ending June 11, 2017, BakeryandSnacks examined retail sales performance of the largest suppliers in key bread sectors (excluding sweet baked goods) of the US market in 2017 so far.

Mexican conglomerate Grupo Bimbo continued to dominate the entire sector, claiming the number one spot in several sub-categories; and no less than third or fourth position in others.

Flowers Foods followed, along with Campbell Soup, General Mills, United States Bakery and Lewis Bakeries.

Top 10 US suppliers of other fresh rolls, buns and croissants

Source: IRI 52w/3 June 11, 2017. IRI is a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide)

RankingCompanyRetail salesChange vs YAMarket share
1Private Label$547m2.0%25.6%
2Kings Hawaiian Bakery West$461m13.7%21.6%
3Grupo Bimbo$380m-3.8%17.8%
4Martins Famous Pastry Shoppe$133m2.0%6.2%
5Campbell Soup Co$119m10.8%5.5%
6Flowers Foods$100m-11.2%4.7%
7United States Bakery$33.81.4%1.58%
8Calise & Sons Bakery$33.0m0.0%1.55%
9Aunt Millies Bakeries$26.7m2.4%1.25%
10H&S Bakery$26.3m21.6%1.23%

A fallen result

Fresh bread followed its historical downward trend, with retail sales falling -0.2% to the value of $9.09bn during the 12-month period.

Hamburger and hot dog buns also fell (-1.4%) to $1.97bn; as did pita breads and bagels (both -2.5%) to $834m and $113.2m respectively.

Likewise, Shiver, noted Flowers Foods’s fresh packaged breads category was down 1.1% during Q1 2017.

Top 10 US hamburger and hot dog buns suppliers

Source: IRI 52w/3 June 11, 2017. IRI is a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide)

RankingCompanyRetail salesChange vs YAMarket share
1Private Label$773m-7.0%39.0%
2Grupo Bimbo$450m-1.0%22.7%
3Flowers Foods$266m5.7%13.4%
4Campbell Soup Co$95m18.1%4.8%
5Martins Famous Pastry Shoppe$70m-0.5%3.5%
6Lewis Bakeries$59m-3.7%3.0%
7Aunt Millies Bakeries$57m3.2%2.8%
8United States Bakery$32m3.1%1.6%
9Kings Hawaiian Bakery West$28m-1.9%1.44%
10Pan O Gold Baking Co$27m-10.8%1.41%

Rising to the occasion

Conversely, he said organic breads are aligned with today’s consumer trends and are clearly the highlight of the bread category.

“We are excited about the opportunity we have with Dave’s Killer Bread… the leading organic bread brand in the US,”​ he said, noting the response to the launch of DKB bagels and breakfast bread in Q2 has been “very strong,” ​enabling the company “to gain traction”.

Top 10 US bagels/bialys suppliers

Source: IRI 52w/3 June 11, 2017. IRI is a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide)

RankingCompanyRetail salesChange vs YAMarket share
1Grupo Bimbo$564m-2.5%67.6%
2Private Label$148m0.3%17.8%
3United States Bakery$20m3.9%2.4%
4Flowers Foods$18m-13.2%2.1%
5Campbell Soup Co$15m-19.1%1.9%
6Pinnacle Foods Group$12m-4.9%1.4%
7Papa Pita Bakery$6m4.4%0.7%
8Toufayan Bakery$5m6.7%0.6%
9Maple Leaf Bakery$4.8m-5.4%0.58%
10Western Bagel Baking Corp$4.5m-10.0%0.55%

Top 10 US pita bread suppliers

Source: IRI 52w/3 June 11, 2017. IRI is a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide)

RankingCompanyRetail salesChange vs YAMarket share
1Middle East Bakery$22.1m3.4%19.5%
2Toufayan Bakery$19.9m-5.9%17.6%
3Grupo Bimbo$9.5m-24.4%8.4%
4Pita Pit Bakery$8.1m471.1%7.1%
5Private Label$6.4m12.9%5.7%
6Kangaroo Brands$5.8m-16.9%5.1%
7Papa Pita Bakery$5.1m20.0%4.5%
8Rich Products$4.7m8.2%4.2%
9Global Bakeries$4.1m-54.7%3.7%
10Middle East Bakery$2.2m2.0%2.0%

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1 comment

Head Maven

Posted by Sara S,

Just goes to show you not much has changed. The picture at the top of this article says it all. Even data driven trade publications feel it is necessary to sell "sex". Stereotypical woman with phallic breadstick. It's hard for me to believe that this picture wasn't deliberately chosen.

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