’Tis the season for pies, but at the start of the New Year, consumers’ desire for these family-sized, wholesome desserts always tends to wane and even disappear. It’s not magic. It’s just the seasonal nature of the category. The challenge is how to make pies top-of-mind all the time.

“I’ve always said that our greatest opportunity to grow pie sales with our customers is between January and September,” said Mark “Par” Grandinetti, president of Rocky Mountain Pies, Salt Lake City. “Anybody can sell pies between October and December. I believe that very few grocery store customers have a pie on their shopping lists from January to September, so we must create products that will stop the shopping cart and create an impulse purchase.”

Bakers need to reimagine the future of the pie category. That means right-sizing pies for on-the-go consumers and the proliferation of smaller households while holding on to their core constituency.

“While the pie category has seen only modest growth in smaller portions, there is a noticeable shift toward snack-size options in some segments,” said Michael Docherty, senior vice president of marketing, strategy and project management office, Rise Baking Company, Minneapolis. “Sales of single-serve pies currently make up 15% of total pie sales and are rising, reflecting a growing preference toward convenience and grab-and-go formats.”

Rise Baking Company, which purchased Worcester, Mass.-based Table Talk Pies in June, specializes in its signature 4-inch snack pies as well as more conventional 8-, 9-, 10- and 11-inch dessert ones.

“We’ve expanded our selection of snacks and mini pies to give everyone those quick, convenient choices they’re looking for. Products like our 4-inch snack pies, Apple Pie Bites and other convenient options have allowed us to meet this need for our customers,” Docherty said. “With our expanded product lineup, we can offer larger pies perfect for celebrations alongside smaller snackable options to cater to the diverse preferences of our consumers.”

In the center of the store desserts and sweet snacks category, Circana data shows the $453.1 million pie segment saw sales increase 2.9% while units rose 4% for the 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2024.

The data confirms that individual snack pies with $435 million in annual sales are showing the strongest growth rate in the center store, although dollars (2.1%) and units (3.8%) are expanding at low single-digit rates. That growth is because snack pies provide an affordable option for a sweet treat, noted Melissa Altobelli, senior vice president, client insights, dairy and bakery vertical, Circana.

“These little snack pies offer low price and convenience and an on-the-go appeal,” she explained. “They’re an affordable sweet treat. We know consumers are cutting back because of budget constraints, but they do want to treat themselves, and these individual snacks are averaging less than $1.50 a pie. When you look at the private label market, which is 50% of snack pies, those are at a 99-cent price point. They’re a very low-cost, indulgent dessert.”

The perimeter pie market, where mostly whole pies are sold, slipped 4% to $1,284.5 million in sales with units experiencing a 5.9% decline.

Meanwhile, frozen pies, which had $787.5 million in sales, are down in dollars about 0.7%, and relatively flat in units (1%). Altobelli said frozen pies may be outperforming the perimeter department due to many products’ thaw-and-eat nature.

“I can eat it when I want to eat it,” Altobelli said. “I have it on hand, and it reduces waste in case I buy a perimeter pie and have to throw it away. They’re not growing like gangbusters by any means. They’re just outperforming perimeter pies.”

Shoppers in the freezer case and in the perimeter can be the same person on different occasions, suggested Ryan Morris, senior brand manager, foodservice pies, muffins and pastries, Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.

“When shopping in the perimeter, the most important attribute for pies is freshness,” he said. “Consumers perceive higher quality and appreciate that the pie is ready to be consumed. When shopping in the freezer case, the consumer knows that those pies will require some preparation, such as thawing or baking, so consumption will be at a later time. The frozen pies also have a longer shelf life, accommodating the needs of smaller families or single households. Additionally, the freezer case also offers more deals, accommodating shoppers on a budget.”

In the broader market, miniature desserts are meeting a myriad of consumer needs, said Kelsey Olsen, food and drink analyst at Mintel. 

“These smaller sized products are portionable [and] more relevant with smaller household sizes and a better fit for the snacking occasion,” she explained. “Tweaking formats, such as with smaller versions of existing products, can meet this trend while maintaining the familiar taste experience.”

She added that increasing the purchase frequency of pies lies in more creative merchandising such as pairing desserts with beverages or bundling pies with various meal occasions.

A recent Mintel survey showed that 26% of consumers regularly purchase pies, 47% occasionally buy them, 22% purchase pies for special occasions and 5% rarely purchase.

“Smaller portioned products are meeting versatile needs across different consumer groups — from smaller households to snacking fanatics,” Olsen said. “Creativity in dessert and pie formats is a key component in category modernization, not only to meet more needs and occasions but also to bring an element of excitement to even the most classic pie flavors like pumpkin or apple.”

Grandinetti mentioned that in-store bakery shoppers are feeling the effect of the inflated retail pricing that is causing a slump in bakery sales volumes across the nation. As a result, Rocky Mountain Pies collaborated with D&W Fine Pack to create a smaller 6-inch pie tin for cream and meringue pies as well as half fruit pies and holiday pies. He added the reaction from retailers has been positive.

“We have batted a thousand with recent customer visits and have created new business for Rocky Mountain Pies with new price-point products using our premium formulas for our customers,” he said. “Our new smaller portioned products create the impulse for the smaller household shopper and the 5 p.m. shopper who is cruising quickly through the store looking for tonight’s dinner.”

He added the smaller pie program also addresses a pain point for retailers. In-store bakers no longer have to cut a whole pie in half to offer smaller pies that have proven to boost sales. They also don’t have to toss away a 60-cent pie box, purchase two half-pie plastic containers and print their own labels.

“Those extra costs are a tough sell to customers who want to purchase half pies at a lower price,” Grandinetti said. “Our new half pies come all-inclusive and are ready-to-go. That makes in-store bakers’ jobs easier.”

However, there is a catch-22 — one that keeps many pie producers from playing the small game.

“Margins are a concern,” Grandinetti said. “Smaller products on the same line mean lower margins to cover overhead. As a result, we need to sell many more, and we’re betting that this program will do just that.”

For its part, Sara Lee now offers a whole portfolio of single-serve cream pies under the company’s Cyrus O’Leary brand for in-store bakeries. Morris pointed out the line’s packaging is designed for grab-and-go, with a resealable lid for snacking occasions.

The company started with smaller versions of the brand’s core 8- and 9-inch cream pies, including Chocolate, Coconut, Banana and Sour Cream Lemon. The portfolio later grew with innovative and seasonal flavors like Tiramisu, Strawberry Shortcake and Pumpkin.

Michele Stuart, owner, Michele’s Pies, Norwalk, Conn., compared the individual dessert trend to the cupcake fad that popped up across the country 15 years ago. 

“Everyone bought their own cupcake. They didn’t have to share it with somebody,” she said. “With pies, we can do that.”

Her store has seen a surge in 5-inch pies for everyday consumption and 3-inch offerings for weddings and special occasions.

“People will come in and order four 5-inch pies instead of a 9-inch pie because they want either to try different types of pies or they just want their own,” Stuart explained. “I’ve seen multiple people sneak a pie that they want to eat themselves.”

Stuart said her bakery relies on seasonal, fresh fruit — no canned or prepared fillings — to create the homemade pies that harken back to a grandmother’s kitchen and the category’s nostalgic roots. Over the years, she has won 51 awards in the commercial and professional categories at the annual American Pie Council’s National Pie Championships, which will run April 14-15 in Kissimmee, Fla.

Here, she said, bakeries can test their creative limits. Stuart first won with a chocolate pecan bourbon pie that’s become her signature one. Her favorite is a lemon lime blackberry while a mango cream pie and a pear custard pie are other examples of her products that have captured awards in their respective fruit categories.

For bakers, big is not always better. Sometimes going smaller provides more convenient and affordable products that address consumers’ needs, budgets and lifestyles.

This article is an excerpt from the December 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Pies, click here.