Sweet Valentine: The Red Velvet Revolution
As retailers promote cake in various forms and flavors, some are taking advantage of red velvet’s increasing popularity
February 13, 2012
Valentine’s Day is a cake holiday, and retailers are trying new versions like rose-shaped red velvet cakes and red-iced cake pops.
Valentine’s Day falling on Tuesday could affect sales in a good way or a bad way. Depending on a retailer’s location, opinions tend to differ.
No matter, their sales will probably climb. A National Retail Federation survey shows Americans will spend more on Valentine items — up 8.5% from last year — than they have in a decade.
Bakery directors got ready early, some running ads and building displays two weeks out.
“The day after Super Bowl, we put up a table with everything red velvet — cakes, cupcakes, mini cupcakes,” Robert Breault, bakery director for Pennington Quality Market, Pennington, N.J., told SN last week.
“We’ll also have a lot of heart-shaped cakes … mini, half-ounce cupcakes in different flavors and a lot of things with strawberries.”
Meanwhile, Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix Super Markets is promoting a “Southern-style red velvet cake” this year for Valentine’s Day.
It’s not that retailers haven’t been selling red velvet cake — in fact many have been doing so year-round — what’s new is that some like Publix are featuring a premium version (left) for Valentine’s Day.
Kowalski’s Markets, in its February newsletter, recommends trying its “stunning” red velvet cake, which has become a staple there.
“It has stood the test of time and is especially popular for Valentine’s Day,” said Terri Bennis, vice president of fresh foods at the St. Paul, Minn.-based independent.
Joseph’s Classic Italian Market in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., confirming red velvet’s staying power, is trying something new with the flavor.
“Up to now, it had been mostly red velvet cupcakes, but for Valentine’s Day, we’ve made a red velvet cake shaped like a long stem rose,” owner Joseph Acierno said.
“It’s packaged in a long box just like you would package real long stem roses. We tried a few of those last year, and they did well, so we’re making more and promoting them this year.”
Red velvet cake is said to be a Southern creation, but in recent years its popularity has spread.
Ironically, Southern chain Piggly Wiggly Carolina, based in Charleston, S.C., is not promoting red velvet for Valentine’s Day. It’s probably not a big deal because it’s available year-round at the chain.
“It is a flavor that’s popular,” said Craig Inabinett, the chain’s director of deli and bakery.
One researcher said consumers’ attention to red velvet cake could be attributed to general interest in Southern comfort food.
“The declaration from Bon Appetit that Charleston, S.C.’s Husk [restaurant], who pays considerable homage to re-imagined Southern comfort food, was 2011’s best restaurant of the year” could be a factor, said Melissa Abbott, director of culinary insights, at The Hartman Group, a Bellevue, Wash.-based consumer research firm.
In cupcakes, red velvet has already become mainstream like chocolate and vanilla, Abbott said.
Inabinett, this Valentine’s season, is using the sheer variety of items Piggly Wiggly Carolina’s bakeries make as a selling tool.
“We have so many things for Valentine’s Day. This year, we have new Ghirardelli chocolate cookies and brownies. We’re featuring those, and then our cupcakes, decorated with whipped icing and sprinkles, in several different counts,” Inabinett said. “We’re also making up little trays with different things like mini cupcakes and heart-shaped cookies. And, of course, we have 8-inch round cakes iced in white, pink and red with Valentine messages.”
He has asked store managers to display the variety on a table right up front, preferably in the lobby area.
“The stores are also adding balloons and flowers and chocolates on the tables. That table and that variety will catch customers’ attention.”
Bennis at Kowalski’s also is counting on variety to punch up sales. The big items at Kowalski’s this Valentine’s Day are a new chocolate truffle cake and chocolate truffle cupcakes. Those will be the focal point on a table that will include a chocolate ganache strawberry “celebration” cake, a premium red velvet cake, and iced cupcakes. Nearby in a refrigerated case are specially decorated cheesecakes.
“Just the variety of items will make customers stop and look. It’ll be hard not to buy something,” Bennis said.
Southern-Style
At Publix, the Southern-style red velvet cake got its debut last month but is promoted now in the chain’s ads and POS materials.