Grab ‘n’ go

From ‘deskfasts’ to eating on the go, sandwiches and snacks that satisfy consumers’ busy lives is a multi billion business caterers cannot afford to ignore. Sheila Eggleston reports.

Regardless of the vast choice of snacks to be had, the sandwich still reigns supreme. Over the years it has evolved to satisfy consumers' hunger for a fast fulfilling snack and an explosion of carriers and fillings have been developed to fit the bill. But with value for money an important part of the choice today, what consumers get has to be top notch to justify the price.

High street operators have been particularly keen to increase business by offering bigger, fuller handheld snacks – from Subway's foot long subs to triple cheese burgers at other operators. The competition however is hotting up with multiple retailers cashing in on the boom. Supermarket chains such as Sainsbury are looking to extend their offer from a standalone chiller cabinet instore to a full blown sandwich shop that will challenge top high street operators and caterers. It is trialling its Fresh Kitchen store in London's Fleet Street offering hot and cold food to go with a view to expanding it into a chain.

The total market is worth a cool £11.5bn according to the British Sandwich Association, so who can blame it for looking for a piece of the action.

 It's not just the snack itself as there is a good chance consumers will be tempted to spend more. According to the BSA/ TNS SandwichTrak programme, which interviews 2,000 consumers every month out of home, 89.3% of sandwich customers eat their sandwich with a drink, 14.6% have a piece of fruit and 11.2% choose a cake.

Mark Johnson, sales director at 7 Day Catering, believes the high street is its biggest competitor. "To ensure we gives our clients value for money and drive their subsidies at the correct level, we need to keep their employees on site by offering a far better product than they can expect from the usual retail outlet."

He says sales of snacks will always be underpinned by sandwiches with traditional fillings such as cheese and onion, tuna and sweetcorn, ham and mustard and the classic BLT, which continue to be bestsellers. But to keep up with the trends, it was important to offer new flavours and items available in retail. "Food once thought exotic has become more accessible. Who would have thought the likes of sushi and dim sum would be so readily available?" he explains.

Alliance in Partnership (AiP) says around 3.5 million children bring packed lunches to school every day and only 1.1% of them meet Government guidelines for nutritional requirements. AiP, which provides more than 3,000 healthy sandwiches and wraps every day in 144 schools nationwide, says it offers freshly prepared food daily.

Managing director David Weller says wraps have become increasingly popular and currently account for 4% of all sandwich purchases. "When the average sandwich costs £1.91 and parents perceive homemade lunches to be cost savers, caterers have a battle on their hands to convince them that school sandwiches are cost effective, starting from £1.25 but also containing some of the highest nutritional ingredients available because of the food standards required. Caterers have to educate parents that value for money nutritious meals can be provided costing no more than a packed lunch."

Stephanie Hickford, national account marketing manager at 3663, says the traditional one hour lunch break is a thing of the past with work pressures slashing this time in half for most people, who as a result demand fast service. "So, it's down to caterers to attract them with quick, healthy options – sandwiches, wraps, paninis and even soup pots. A large choice including best selling fillings chicken, egg and cress, cheese and onion and tuna and sweetcorn [BSA data, March 2010], is important because it keeps customers coming back to try something different, preventing the loss of business to off site restaurants."

Fraser Chynoweth, head of foodservice UK & Ireland at wrap specialist Mission Foods, says a lot of the influences in this sector are coming from increasing exposure to other cultures through travel and restaurants, and also TV programmes.

"What is interesting to see is that when considering the entire sandwich market, wraps grew 9.3% year on year [Kantar Food on the Go – 52 w/e August 2010], second only to paninis which saw an increase of almost 10%. Wraps now account for 5.4% of the total marketplace. In terms of fillings, chicken still holds the number one spot – accounting for a third of all sandwich flavours. Other top fillers for wraps are duck, salad and vegetables."

With different bases and exciting fillings, he says, caterers can combat menu fatigue. His tip is to vary the menu but add a daily special wrap that can be eaten hot or cold. Also, to pay attention to packaging and presentation – "we know consumers buy with their eyes but minimising packaging waste is increasingly important", he adds.

He says made to order sandwiches will ensure the freshest offer, but there are other ways to maintain quality. "Wraps can hold wetter fillings for longer as they are less likely to go soggy, creating the impression of freshness for consumers," he explains.

Many suppliers have upped the ante with their wraps. Impress Sandwiches' latest range can be heated in a panini grill and includes a breakfast wrap filled with egg, bacon, Lincolnshire sausage, sliced mushrooms, cheese and tomato ketchup; a wrap filled with mozzarella, roasted red and yellow peppers and spicy pizza sauce; and a wrap filled with spicy pepperoni, roasted ham, mozzarella and pizza sauce.

Love Joes, which specialises in chicken and healthier wrap products, says its new product is Love Wrappin' Joes tomato twist chicken, which combines sliced chicken with a tangy tomato basil marinade.

AAK Foodservice recommends its Lion dressings such as its house variant containing white wine vinegar and French Dijon mustard, to jazz up the flavour of sandwich fillings. Marketing manager Rachel Neale adds that one concept that can increase on the go sales is food stations such as sandwich or wrap bars, which will appeal to fussy eaters and tap into consumer trends such as customisation. They will also help alleviate the length of queues by breaking up the serving areas.

One of the most popular fillings for traditional sarnies is cheese, says produce Lactalis McLelland – a generous filling of cheddar or even European cheese such as brie and mozzarella. Out of home marketing manager Warren MacFarlane comments: "Cheddar is the single biggest cheese category in the UK and the growth is coming from major brands like our Seriously Strong. More specifically, it's the extra mature and vintage cheddar segment, where it sits, that is in growth as consumers trade up to stronger taste profiles."

BPEX says pork plays an important role when it comes to fillings. Bacon is the second most popular filling for meat based sandwiches eaten out of home, it says, with more than 80 million servings during quarter three of 2010. Ham came a close third with more than 69 million servings during the same period.

Foodservice trade sector manager Tony Goodger says: "Premium bacon, ham, pork and sausages make excellent fillings and when served with side salad or chunky chips and sauces, it makes for a satisfying yet profitable meal."

One company has come up with an innovative snacking salami concept using British free range pork. Serious Pig's snack is a premium ambient product, with a three month shelf life. Two variants are available – classic is lightly smoked and made with cracked black peppercorns, while spiced is made with smoked paprika and a pinch of chilli flakes.

NPD has on the whole been prolific. For example Délifrance's new additions to its Provencette panini range were unveiled at the recent IFE show. Head of foodservice Lucy Pickersgill says the Grilly panini gives caterers the flexibility to display appetising paninis in the chiller cabinet before grilling in front of the customer to boost sales.

"Vegetarian continues to be a popular choice which inspired the launch of our tomato, basil and mozzarella flavour, but we also recognise the need for international recipes which inspired us to create this popular Italian food combination," she says. "Our new smaller 17cm panini scratch bread also meets FSA 2012 low salt guidelines which, combined with its compact size, is perfect for caterers wanting to create a healthier base for a hot sandwich filling. We also offer branded bags to maximise the fast food offering.

 "We all face a challenge as the sector grows, and with demand expected to increase in ABs faster than any other groups between 2010 and 2015, caterers must seize the opportunity and engage this growing group who may look for more premium and fulfilling options to satisfy their appetites."

Bernard Matthews has just launched roast and tikka turkey breast chunks to inspire sandwich making in schools. A 55g serving of each product contains 63 calories and 1% of a child's guideline daily amount of sugar and fat. It is, however, the low saturated fat that holds real appeal, with both fillings containing just 0.3g per 55g serving of what are known as 'nasty fats', says general manager Duncan Marsh.

"While there isn't a mass of concrete information on how popular sandwiches are with primary and secondary school pupils, it's interesting to know students are the top sandwich buyers in the UK, at 90%, an indicator of sandwiches' popularity with the younger generation."

Moy Park Foodservice says its newest product is the 'next generation' gourmet veg burger – an uncoated, microwaveable, premium vegetable burger, which cooks in less than one minute. It features carrot ribbons, courgettes and red peppers blended with mature cheddar cheese and lentils, and has a subtle undertone of cayenne pepper.

But not all handheld snacks are savoury. Lantmännen UK, which offers the Bakehouse range of continental pastries, says consumers are still keen to indulge despite the recession and 'affordable luxury' is a must even in the cost sector.

Marketing director Kate Raison explains: "Although traditional favourites – maple and pecan plait, vanilla crème crown and the cinnamon swirl – make up more than 77% of the Danish market, there have been recent developments such as lighter fruit fillings and new shapes which are expanding the market to a younger consumer. Products such as apple Danish crown feature the traditional crown shape but a tangy twist with a Bramley apple filling. Our new apricot and almond scroll, has introduced a new shape to the category: scrolled on both sides, with each scroll filled with almond remonce and a real apricot filling."