Sara Lee is expanding its Sweet Moments range with six new single-serve cakes and cheesecakes, building on the success of its Sweet Moments Cobblers and a consumer shift toward smaller, more frequent indulgence occasions.
Joining its popular Cobblers are Sweet Moments individual four-layered Cheesecakes in Strawberry Shortcake, Lemon Blueberry and Fudgey Brownie varieties, and Sweet Moments individual cakes in Gooey Butter, Chocolate Chip Brookie and Cinnamon Caramel Crunch flavors.
“We believe the next wave of growth in the frozen bakery category will come from creating more occasions to enjoy it,” said Johnni Rodgers, chief marketing officer at Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois-headquartered Sara Lee Frozen Bakery. “The category has traditionally been centered around celebrations and special occasions, but consumers are increasingly looking for smaller, more frequent moments of indulgence that fit into everyday life. We built Sweet Moments around the opportunity to create highly indulgent, individually portioned desserts that make an ordinary moment feel special.”
The idea for Sweet Moments grew out of consumer focus groups that identified a need to define a moment at the end of the day, when obligations are finally done and there is a little “me time,” during which not just any dessert will do. Sara Lee developed its “Sweet Moments” platform specifically for that occasion, combining indulgent flavors and textures with individual portions and, for select desserts, a warm, fresh-from-the-oven experience.
Sweet Moments Cobblers Turn Consumer Insight into Marketplace Momentum
The company first put that strategy to the test last fall with three Sweet Moments Cobbler Cups: Berry Bliss Crumble, Salted Caramel Peach, and Orchard Apple Cinnamon. Each delivers the warmth and aroma of a fresh-from-the-oven fruit cobbler in just 60 seconds, featuring fruit, spices and a golden crumble topping.
Consumer response has quickly validated the opportunity. Sweet Moments Cobblers now account for more than one-third of Sara Lee’s fruit pie business and rank among the top dollar-velocity items in the frozen dessert category. The line is available in more than 5,000 stores across the United States, including Walmart, Albertsons, Publix, Wakefern and H-E-B. That market performance is giving Sara Lee Frozen Bakery the runway to further grow the Sweet Moments concept.
