Pie producers can take lessons from competitive dessert makers that have effectively leveraged pre-packaged, single-serve items to spark impulse sales and bolster the frequency of purchases.

“Retailers can add it to a sandwich program, merchandise it in the single-serve dessert section or celebrate National Cheesecake Day with a slice of cheesecake,” said Debbie Marchok, vice president of marketing, Eli’s Cheesecake, Chicago.

“We also encourage sampling in-store for the consumer,” she added. “Our Chicago-style cheesecake is golden brown on the outside and rich and creamy on the inside — due to a slow bake in a hot oven with no water bath — on our signature all-butter shortbread cookie crust. Sampling encourages the consumer to purchase the product when they have a chance to taste it.”

This year, the company introduced Eli’s Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Pies, which received the National Restaurant Association Show’s FABI Award for innovation and excellence.

“A notable trend is the ‘little treat culture’ where consumers reward themselves throughout the day with small but indulgent purchases that provide a mood boost,” said Sarah Zupancic, director of marketing, Eli’s Cheesecake. “The mini size is the perfect little luxury for smaller households and snacking occasions.”

Proactive merchandising is key to growth in the pie category. In the freezer case, Sara Lee has invested in seasonal promotions and discounts, especially during key holidays to spark dessert purchases for their celebrations, noted Ryan Morris, senior brand manager, foodservice pies, muffins and pastries, Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.

“We’ve worked closely with retailers to ensure optimal shelf placement in high-traffic areas of the freezer aisle, making it easier for shoppers to find our products,” he said. “We also emphasize ready-to-serve convenience on our packaging, showing that our desserts can go straight from the freezer to the table, saving time without sacrificing quality. Through these efforts, we’re continuously working to ensure that Sara Lee pies and cheesecakes remain top-of-mind for consumers, not only for special occasions but also for everyday indulgence. By focusing on value, convenience and consumer engagement, we’ve been able to increase the frequency of purchases and position our products as a must-have dessert option all year round.”

Rise Baking Company employs several strategies to increase pie consumption that are tailored to the suppliers, retailers or operators. 

“We recommend offering on-the-go formats, meal deals and leveraging seasonal flavors to help our customers meet consumers where they are,” suggested Michael Docherty, senior vice president of marketing, strategy and project management office, Rise Baking Company, Minneapolis. “Equally important is effective merchandising. By highlighting holidays, seasonal favorites and regional specialties, you can capture consumers’ attention. Plus, promoting meal deals or new offerings can really entice them to give pies a try.”

Mark “Par” Grandinetti, president of Rocky Mountain Pies, Salt Lake City., pointed out that in-store bakeries with robust pie sales know how to aggressively merchandise them to capture consumers’ attention, instead of putting a few items out for display each day.

For some supermarkets, he added, Rocky Mountain Pies has designed an eye-catching box that has a signature window that’s shaped like a pie. It’s all part of a customized program built to highlight pies among the sea of desserts in grocery stores.

“We create a point of difference,” he said. “We enable our buyers to create their own program and make it theirs. If we can do that, the program is only as good as the operator at store level. When retailers build their displays and manage their programs in-house, then we’ll all be successful because they have ‘skin in the game’ as well.”

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