Rich’s, a family-owned company providing foodservice and retail products to in-store bakery, deli and prepared foods, showcased some of its new products and innovations at the recent IDDBA Show in Houston. Rachel McCrone, director of customer marketing for in-store bakery and deli for Rich’s, talked with The Shelby Report’s Maggie Kaeppel on the show floor.
McCrone said Buffalo, New York-based Rich’s Hispanic portfolio “has really taken off” and is a main area of focus. The Rich’s booth was spotlighting its tres leches products, “everything from components all the way to fully finished, grab-and-go sizes.” This includes parfait tres leches and a new chocoflan, which McCrone indicated has been doing well.
The company also was showcasing its signature ready cake portfolio, with five- and eight-inch cakes that arrive iced and ready for retailers.
“The retailer could set them out just like that, if they’re strapped for labor. Or if they have labor, they could top and ice them however they want to. We’re thinking about everything from setting out as-is – more of a value play – to all the way at the premium end of the portfolio,” she said.
With the launch, McCrone said Rich’s also offers inspiration. The company provides retailers with month-to-month ideas, flavor-of-the-month programs and best-in-class merchandising. It also has a digital hub, the Bakery Academy, where retailers’ in-store technicians can search for the “latest and greatest inspirations, trends on how to decorate, what’s new, seasonal.”
“That’s how Rich’s differentiates themselves in the industry, by providing all these solutions readily available for our customers,” she said.
The company’s Bettercreme icing may be used on seasonal items, with different flavors and colors. It is brought to life through several different products, such as message cookies, cupcakes and the cake portfolio.
According to McCrone, the company also thinks differently about driving impulse spending through seasonality and limited time offers.
Rich’s encourages retailers to keep things fresh for their consumers, which could be as simple as merchandising items differently. It could be the same product, but packaged in a one or two count instead of a six or 12 count.
“It’s just thinking about those occasions a little bit differently.”
She said Rich’s also talks about everyday, anytime occasions. “We don’t need a special occasion to go to the grocery store and get a doughnut or a cookie, but it has to be the right portion size.”
Rich’s also is promoting its funfetti portfolio, which McCrone said is fully branded across many different platforms. This includes cheesecake, individually wrapped slices or a fully finished cake, cake layers and a Bettercreme funfetti branded icing.
“Naked cakes” are another trend that has been popular for a couple of years but has really taken off lately, she said. This can entail the sides of the cake being open, with either a layer of icing in the middle or a drizzle on top.
“It’s just getting away from that heavy, really thick icing and going more toward a trend of they want to see the cake and they want to see the center,” she said. “Consumers are loving it and so are retailers. It’s just a really nice way to make the cakes pop in the case, also.”
McCrone noted that labor issues and inflation remain huge issues across the industry.
“Part of our job and priority at Rich’s is to identify innovative ways we can help our retailers combat these major challenges … thinking about how we cut down on time, cost and labor for our retailers.”
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