The consumption of wholemeal bread has decreased. They want to introduce a special program in schools / Article

Bakers: The sale of rye bread has stabilized after the fall

We put wholemeal bread on our table less and less. Although the latest statistics are not yet available, bakers can say that consumption is shrinking, as evidenced by production figures. At the same time, sales of various muffins and pastries are growing.

Latvijas Radio asked buyers how often they eat traditional rye bread:

“Every other day. I really like it when it’s a little more fried and with butter. It’s usually given in schools, at least in my school, where there’s a basket with wholemeal bread and everyone can take it. And wholemeal bread is definitely healthier than burgers.”

“Tastes good, but without yeast. There is little selection without yeast in stores.”

“I don’t eat bread at all, but if I do, it’s mostly wholemeal bread. I’m conservative, I choose “Kelmēni” and if they’re not available, then something else. There is something to choose for me, such a lazy bread eater. Yes, my grandchildren eat, we eat wholemeal bread in our family. We have such taste buds.”

“Of course, it is inherited in every family to eat healthy wholemeal bread.”

The bakers themselves reveal that the sale of rye bread has stabilized after the decline in previous years.

“In a few months [pieprasījums] falls, then rises. That common market could be like that. The buyer walks to one manufacturer, to another. Look for something new. There is no increase there, I don’t see anything increasing,” said Normunds Skauģis, the owner of the “Lāči” bakery, about the request.

According to him, the sale of confectionery products and muffins is also stable, in any case there is no decline. However, the purchasing power of the population as a whole is currently a big challenge.

The number of people in the country is decreasing, the habits of buyers are changing, so manufacturers have to constantly think of new products.

The prices of resources and services are also said to be quite a big challenge.

“How to wrap rye bread in a slightly different format”

Raimonds Biedrītis, owner of “Grauda sikta”, said that they buy grain themselves and then grind whole wheat flour. About 30% of it is rye, and the rest is wheat. Now, as the beach season approaches, it is said that buyers are consuming less of both rye and wheat bread.

Before the covid pandemic, “Grauda sikta” had a good cooperation with hotels, but when some of them closed down, the consumption of rye bread also fell.

“Yes, there is a tendency that rye bread is chosen less. We have developed one other product that is a bit of an alternative to the classic rye bread – like cupcakes, and they are doing well.

The question here is how we could package that rye bread in a slightly different format that is more convenient for people.

Most of them already think everything. Good partners are Limbažu “Lielezers”, which always thinks of something new and innovative, because you can no longer sit on old recipes, you have to keep up with the times and offer the consumer something convenient and simple, which he can understand,” said Raimonds Biedrītis.

He has observed that the demand for pastries has been increasing recently. However, many pay close attention to classic values ​​that recall the taste of childhood, for example, buying curd balls and pumpernickels.

Bakers want to achieve a special program in schools

The Association of Latvian Bakers has been trying to implement a special wholemeal bread program in schools for several years.

This means a slice of wholemeal bread for each student.

Normunds Skauģis considers it a very important event, firstly, so that children eat healthier and, secondly, it is a matter of our traditions.

Kārlis Zemešs, chairman of the board of the Latvian Bakers’ Association, said that now “bakers are getting closer to their future consumers and reminding them that we have the pride of Latvia, we have rye bread, because the difference is that our new generation is further and further away from rye bread and choose many other things.”

The Latvian Bakers’ Association is currently actively working on the implementation of the wholemeal bread program as a pilot project in schools and preschool institutions together with the Ministry of Agriculture, and it will become clear in the next few weeks when it could happen.

During it, it is planned to distribute free rye bread to the students, and the bakers themselves will visit the schools to talk about their craft and the making of rye bread.