Rice & Corn Cakes

Presentation

In the 90’s rice cakes were mainly sold in health food stores. Nowadays everyone knows the Rice and also Corn cakes and you can just buy the cakes in the supermarket. From historical point of view we speak about Rice cakes but Rice & Corn cakes is nowadays a better definition for the category. We see a lot of national differences in Europe, although differences are becoming smaller, due to the importance of international trends.

Rice cakes are addictively delicious. Especially if you top them with cheese, avocado, egg and salmon. Or simply, with a thick layer of peanut butter or just some butter with sea salt. And because the cake weighs almost nothing, it also feels easy to digest and therefore a perfect snack. Because a rice cake is easy to digest and contains few calories, it is a popular snack for young and old.

All formats are available in Rice and Corn both in Organic and Conventional quality

  • Round
    • Regular size
    • Thins
    • Jumbo size thick
    • Mini’s
  • Rectangular
    • Single regular size rectangular
    • Sandwich with hazelnut crème
  • Square
    • Regular size square
  • Coated chocolate
    • Regular size round
    • Square
    • Mini’s
  • Coated Seasoning
    • Regular size round
  • Coated Mini’s
    • Sweet flavours (fruit, popcorn and chocolate)

Market size

The European market is booming and assortment has been changed a lot over the years. Over the past five years, Rice & Corn cakes launch activity in Europe has picked up considerably, with constant growth witnessed year on year.  Rice & Corn cakes is as mentioned a huge market > € 650M (2022) total of all the 12 EU countries that we measure (Nielsen/IRI) on a frequent base. PL share of 48% and a PL growth above average of the total market development. The European Rice & Corn cakes market is expected to grow further the coming years. Growth potential is expected on savoury & sweet coated, enriched or different bases used. All this with a strong focus on portion packs (on the go solutions) for a perfect fit with the key consumer trends.

Consumers insights

Rice& Corn cakes widely considered as a healthy snacking option, have become a growing focus of innovation. Rice& Corn cakes in Europe are usually eaten as an in-between snack in the afternoon. They are also part of the regular breakfast. Consumers mainly choose the natural variant without topping.Rice & Corn cakes are chosen by consumers because they are light, contain low fat and are suitable to eat at any time of the day. They fit perfectly in a healthy diet.In Northern Europe flavoured savoury & sweet Rice & Corn cakes are dominating the market.In Western Europe more than half of these markets are of an organic quality. In the South of Europe consumers consume more Corn than Rice cakes

Innovations

With competition intensifying as more and more brands have entered the category, Rice& Corn cake innovation has entered a new era. Focusing on flavour variety and superfood ingredients we as a market player are looking to add excitement to the sector, while also extending eating occasions (on-the-go solutions).

Consumers are looking for products that have added value; they should either be ‘healthier’, be suitable for specific eating moment or be very indulgent. Leaving behind the often bland offerings of the past, Rice & Corn cake innovation in Europe is flourishing.  Embracing both sweet and savoury flavours, brands and private label are looking to transform Rice & Corn cakes into an exciting, but still healthy, snack item. Flavours in particular have seen a strong growth over the past few years, pointing to the category growing focus on healthy indulgence.

BI latest innovation Rice and Corn cakes enriched with Lentils, Chickpeas and Peas (gluten free, high protein). Packed in 4 portions of 5 slices convenient to take along  for on-the-go consumption.