Charcuterie: Don’t Forget the Bread

When most people consider charcuterie, their first thoughts are of cured meats and complementary ingredients, including cheese, olives, capers, nuts, dried fruits and the like, but St Pierre Bakery reminds retailers and consumers alike not to overlook bread as a key component of the charcuterie board.

Noting that “charcuterie boards offer a simple solution for dinner that can be put together with an eye on cost while still delivering a restaurant-quality experience,” Neil Pittman, director of U.S. sales for St Pierre Bakery observed: “Savvy retailers are taking note of the growing trend and merchandising in-store to help consumers who want to create quality charcuterie boards at home but are time-pressed. Grouping products together to offer inspiration – particularly in the in-store bakery and deli where shoppers go specifically for quick but creative inspiration – can help retailers maximize sales. That’s why St Pierre offers a range of innovative merchandising solutions. Our brand allows our quality products to be displayed by fridges, on table tops or in the middle of the aisle to disrupt the shopper journey, and our product range inspires consumers. We find that those who upgrade to a quality bread product from St Pierre often go on to spend more on quality meats and cheeses, too.”

Added Pittman: “Charcuterie is a European trend, and St Pierre offers brioche and baked goods made to authentic French recipes. What’s more, as the trend evolves, St Pierre, with its lightly sweet flavor, is perfectly placed to accompany savory charcuterie and elevate ‘sweet’ charcuterie boards – another growing trend that savvy retailers can tap into to drive sales in-store.”

Among St Pierre’s most recent offerings are brioche bagels, rolls and subs, all introduced last year. “Brioche is an easy way to upgrade meals, perfectly suited to the growing charcuterie trend and, as a result, is up $98 million in the last year – more than 20%” asserted Pittman.

He also identified a further evolution of the charcuterie concept in the form of butter boards, which feature soft butter topped with spices, herbs, citrus zest, edible flowers, honey and more. “Quality baked goods are central to this trend, and St Pierre is investing in research to keep ahead of the curve and deliver product and recipe inspiration via its marketing,” said Pittman. “[W]e are offering quality goods to elevate the charcuterie menu in whatever form that takes.”