Not Just Desserts

Demands for convenience and portion control met by chilled pies and cakes.

Cakes and pies have always been crowd pleasers, and although the drumbeat of health and nutrition has grown ever louder, the prevailing dietary logic of all things in moderation is reflected in supermarkets' frozen aisles, in the form of many sweet endings that offer taste, variety, value and convenience.

According to recent Nielsen data, frozen pies rack up around $356 million in annual sales, comprising the largest segment of the frozen dessert category. Dessert cakes are in the middle layer, with about $88 million in annual sales. While the overall frozen dessert category edged up from 2011 to 2012, there was notable growth in pies, at 6.4 percent, and a relatively stable cake sector, with a loss of 0.2 percent by Nielsen's statistics.

It's not the biggest category in terms of shelf space, but the frozen dessert section of many supermarkets is making room for some new products. And while there might not be anything else as American as apple pie, frozen or otherwise, there are some varieties giving the reliable standby a run for its money.

Slicing Up Convenience

Giving new meaning to "easy as pie," growth and new product development in the frozen pie segment reflect the ongoing desire for convenience.

While your grandmother might have made her own pie, and your mom might have baked a pre-assembled frozen pie in the oven for an hour, today's families can enjoy a "homemade" pie within a few minutes.

The venerable Mrs. Smith brand from Marshall, Minn.-based Schwan Food Co., for example, has added a pre-made pie to its portfolio. Compared with the traditional frozen uncooked pie, the pre-made version can be heated and served in less than 30 minutes.

More microwaveable pies are on the market today, too. Longtime category leader Sara Lee (now under the Chicago-based Hillshire Brands corporate umbrella) has rolled out new microwaveable apple and cherry pies in 10-ounce sizes. The Banquet brand from Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra Foods also offers small pies that can be microwaved. Likewise, aiming at consumers who appreciate portion control and convenience, the Marie Callender's brand from ConAgra now offers microwaveable small fruit pies in apple, peach and cherry berry varieties. "We continue to drive innovation," says Doug Knudson, president of consumer food sales for ConAgra. "For example, we can take and expand single-serve dessert offerings, like the single-serve dessert pies. That's hot right now."

Control Issues

Indeed, portion control and convenience seem to go hand in hand for both frozen pies and cakes.

The Edwards brand from Schwan's has expanded its line of single-serve crème pies to include new Salted Caramel, Banana Crème and Mounds Coconut Crème Pie varieties. "With average house sizes shrinking, as well as the growth of baby boomers, there is a strong consumer base who still wants to indulge a little, but doesn't have the desire or need for a whole pie," explains Susan Allen, Schwan's senior director for brand management. "Our singles allow you to enjoy as much or as little pie as you want. The two-pack design is perfect for a quick treat, and because we offer 11 different flavors, there is plenty of opportunity to experiment with something new."

Springboarding off its success in single-serve fruit pies, Marie Callender's also offers single-serve crème pies and is set to unveil one-shot cakes, Knudson says.

Sara Lee, for its part, has developed single-serve cakes, including pound cake slices, to appeal to those looking for portion control as well as to those in single or dual households, such as singles, seniors and empty nesters. The pound cake slices are pre-cut and individually packaged. "As people's lives have gotten busier, on-the-go and conveniently portioned snacking options have gained popularity," says Kanika White, senior brand manager for Sara Lee Sweet Goods.

Just Indulge Me

In addition to convenience and portion control, taste is at the center of innovation in frozen desserts. Befitting its inherent indulgence, the dessert category includes more decadent flavors that reflect consumers' palates.

Among Sara Lee's latest products in the category, for instance: turtle crème pie, banana crème pie and Limited Edition New York Style Double Chocolate Cheesecake, the last of which is topped by a rich chocolate ganache.

At Schwan's, Allen says the newest Edwards brand crème pie flavors are revealing. "One of the most popular trends in food right now is balancing sweet flavors with salt," she notes. "To that point, salted caramel was one of the hottest food trends in 2012, showing up just about everywhere, from your favorite coffee shop to the local candy store, so we are proud to be able to offer it to pie eaters everywhere with our Salted Caramel Pie."

The addition of the Mounds co-branded pie also reflects the trending popularity of coconut as a flavor, Allen says.

At the same time, consumers still embrace the classic flavors. The American Pie Council, based in Lake Forest, Ill., reports that 36 million Americans say apple pie is their favorite.

Earlier this year, Schwan's conducted its own consumer survey on favorite pie flavors and found that good old apple pie is still the favorite (27 percent), followed by chocolate and pecan (both at 14 percent), pumpkin (12 percent), and key lime (10 percent). On the cake side, chocolate and vanilla are tops overall beyond the grocery store, according to a survey from Woodridge, Ill.-based Wilton Enterprises.

Some bakeries are marrying favorite flavors with indulgent new options. Case in point: Norwalk, Conn.-based Pepperidge Farm, a Campbell Soup Co. brand, which just launched a Milano Cake, based on its longtime popular chocolate-laced Milano cookies.

And while brand marketers have introduced new flavors and made packaging and serving easier for consumers, private label and store brands have similarly sweetened the deal for shoppers. To that end, store brands include their own indulgent varieties — for example, Safeway Select's molten chocolate lava cake from the Pleasanton, Calif.-based grocer.

"As people's lives have gotten busier, on-the-go and conveniently portioned snacking options have gained popularity."

—Kanika White, Sara Lee Sweet Goods

"Singles allow you to enjoy as much or as little pie as you want."

—Susan Allen, Schwan Food Co.