According to a recent Mintel report, Canadians vastly prefer the crunch of a cookie to other sweet baked goods. The report indicates that 72% of Canadians eat cookies, opposed to 57% who eat muffins, 53% who eat cakes, 45% who eat donuts and 44% who eat other forms of pastries.
"Given their flexibility and portability, it is not surprising that cookies are eaten more than other sweet baked goods." - Joel Gregoire, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel
A Classic Treat
The sense of nostalgia is one of the key driving forces for cookies remaining popular. 32% of the people surveyed in the report said that baked cookies bring them back to their childhood. In addition, bakers and DIYers enjoy baking at a rate of 52% for ages 18-24.
“Cookies take the number one slot in terms of popular sweet baked goods, even beating donuts – possibly the most intrinsically Canadian of all sweet baked goods. Given their flexibility and portability, it is not surprising that cookies are eaten more than other sweet baked goods,” said Joel Gregoire, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel. “Our research suggests baked goods that are more portable prove more popular among younger Canadians, indicating pie makers may look to innovate toward individual occasions in an effort to grow share among these consumers in order to further develop the category.”
Sweet Regrets
Though the baked good and cookie market might be hitting a sweet spot, it isn’t without its obstacles. Among the biggest obstacles is health conscious consumers that might be looking for lower fat and sugar products. 46% of Canadians said that sweet baked goods are bad for their health.
“While Canadians turn to sweet baked goods for indulgence, this can create challenges as consumers increasingly look for better-for-you options. Although there is a core group who look for gluten-free products, it’s a relatively small one. Sugar remains the biggest concern for consumers, but companies can leverage different tactics, including alternative sugar ingredients and local ingredients, to address this obstacle,” concluded Gregoire.
