In an era of general consumer mistrust, transparency has become a real motivator, said Joanie Spencer, editor of Baking & Snack magazine. In the publication’s August issue, she observed how we have become an information-driven society that seeks the narrative in all places.
“Think about how much weight a simple Facebook photo can carry,” she noted. “Not to mention, we’re also a viral society, so one simple image can go a long way — further than any of us could have imagined just 10 years ago — reaching global proportions. That goes not just for images but the words we say as well. Today, people want the story. And they’ll get one whether you offer it or not — even if they have to write it themselves — so telling the truth has never been more important.”
Ms. Spencer then makes a very important point.
“The baked goods you make and sell can no longer speak for themselves; your customers and consumers expect you to speak for them,” she explained. “People want to know where their food comes from, and that applies to anything from the ingredient list to the company’s story.”
In the end, Ms. Spencer tosses down the gauntlet.
“As a bakery manufacturer, what’s in your food? Do your customers and consumers know your story, or are you leaving them to write their own?” she asked. “Blanks cannot be the space where consumers live. Face it, it’s time to get real.”
