The latest BMi research feedback report indicates that the biscuit market in South Africa has not performed well during recessionary times.
The sweet biscuits market is continuing to feel the effects of the recession, resulting in reduced consumer spending within the category and a limited market growth into the base year, as well as a conservative forecast.
Savoury biscuits and especially rusks, showed much better growth in the base year, but due to the smaller volume contribution, the overall category growth remained well below GDP growth.
Retail remains the main channel of distribution and wholesale has seen good growth in the base year. The regional distribution is still focussed on the metro regions, but distribution to the smaller provinces have increased.
Product diversification and packaging innovation will drive brand presence, as brand growth will be off cannibalisation rather than organic growth.
Biscuit categories
The biscuit market is divided into three categories - rusks, savoury and sweet.
- Rusks are defined as a traditional bread-like product that is baked twice to produce a very dry biscuit that keeps well.
- Savoury Biscuits are savoury biscuits include salty biscuits that are eaten on their own or with a topping.
- Sweet Biscuits, this category incorporates a number of sweet biscuits types, including:
- Wafer biscuits
- Chocolate biscuits (those chocolate biscuits that utilise cocoa as an ingredient within the dough)
- Fancy biscuits (incorporating primarily biscuits that have an icing centre but also choc chip biscuits)
- Mixed biscuits (an assortment of biscuits within a single pack)
- Plain biscuits (including brands such as Marie and ginger biscuits)
Total Market Volume Biscuits - 2011
Channel Distribution of Biscuits - 2011
Local Regional Distribution of Biscuits - 2011
Packaging Demand Pack Type for Rusks - 2011
Packaging Demand Pack Size for Rusks - 2011
Packaging Demand Pack Type for Savoury Biscuits - 2011
Packaging Demand Pack Size for Savoury Biscuits - 2011
Packaging Demand Pack Type for Sweet Biscuit- 2011
Packaging Demand Pack Size for Sweet Biscuits - 2011
BMI Research: Consumer Division offers annual tracking reports, in store observation services (ISOS), print ads promotional pricing and share of spend, liquor in store pricing (LISP), consumer research and commissioned research. For more information, go to www.bmi.co.za.
