Pastry chefs and pastry making in the spotlight. More and more pastry chefs are appearing on TV – just think of two names like Iginio Massari, the Master of Italian Pastry Chefs and founder of the Academy of Italian Pastry Chefs, and Ernest Knam, the king of chocolate – while industry events throughout our country welcome thousands of visitors, both curious and greedy. Artisan pastry making is therefore attractive, and not a little.
ARTISAN PASTRY, THE SITUATION IN ITALY
It is legitimate to ask what stage the artisanal pastry market and its value are at. According to recent estimates by TradeLab, Italy currently has 31,000 points of sale. However, “pure” pastry shops are just 13%, or approximately 4,100 points of sale. For the most part, we are therefore talking about multifunctional structures that integrate the pastry shop with a bar, ice cream shop or bakery. A good thing or a bad thing? It depends on your point of view. The fact is that consumers, when possible, prefer to opt for artisanal products.
ARTISAN PASTRY SHOP BETWEEN BRIOCHES AND PASTRIES
To these interesting data we must add the variety that pastry shops now offer: fresh or dry products, classic recipes and more modern creations. The majority of the turnover, in reality, comes from only two types of product: brioches, perfect for breakfast, and pastries, suitable for any time of the day.
Further insights tell us about the world of pastry making divided into three segments: the Multi-specialized, in fact, which offer a wider range; the Specialized Fresh Pastry – a quarter of the sales outlets considered – whose turnover is based on the production and sale of fresh pastries and cakes; the Specialized Brioche/Dry Pastry who focus everything on these two beloved products.
ARTISAN PASTRY, PRICES
Calculator in hand: prices vary in relation to two aspects, namely the type of store and the geographical area . The most obvious example: a fresh cake from a pastry shop has an average price per kilo in the South and islands equal to about a third less than that practiced in the North West. And again: a fresh cake purchased in a bakery costs us about 8% less than a cake purchased in a pastry shop-ice cream shop.
