Americans continue to satisfy cravings for sweet breakfast treats with donuts. Within the supermarket, donuts were the fifth largest category in the bakery department and represented 7.4 percent of bakery sales during the 52-week period ending July 30, 2011. Donuts’ contribution to bakery department sales increased two-tenths of a percentage point compared to the previous year. Contributing a larger share of dollars to the bakery department were cakes, bread, rolls and cookies.

Nationally, donut sales averaged $757 per store/week, a 5.1 percent increase from the previous year. This dollar growth was largely due to the increase in average retail price. Donuts increased dollar sales by a greater percentage than the bakery department as a whole, which posted year-over-year growth of 2.3 percent.

Donut sales varied by region. The Central region averaged $1,324 per store/week, which was more than twice the average weekly sales of the East and South regions at $649 and $617 per store, respectively. The West region had the second highest average weekly sales of $765 during the 52-week period. All regions increased average donut sales compared to the previous year, with growth driven by yeast and assorted/variety bulk donuts.

The donut category is broken up into assorted/variety bulk donuts, yeast donuts, gem/mini/donut holes, cake donuts, filled donuts and other donuts. Only filled donuts experience a decrease in average sales from the prior year. Yeast donuts had the largest increase in dollar share compared to the previous year, capturing share from all categories except other donuts.

Nationally, donut sales remained steady throughout most of the year. The low point in the latest 52 weeks was the New Year’s holiday week ending Jan. 1, 2011, when the national sales average dipped to $624 per store. Sales quickly rebounded to peak the week of March 12, 2011, when Mardi Gras and the promotion of paczki brought average sales to $990 per store.

The increase in donut sales is a long-term trend, with sales increasing 5 percent between 2006 and 2010, according to Perishables Group FreshFacts® Five-year Same Store Historical Data. The largest year-to-year increases were in 2008 and 2009; however, the national average in 2010 was slightly lower than the previous year.

This sales review is provided by the Perishables Group, Inc., a Chicago-based fresh food consulting firm. Reported results are for the 52 weeks ending July 30, 2011, representing more than 63 percent of national supermarket ACV share. For more information, contact the Perishables Group: Kelli Beckel, 773/929-7013; email: kelli.beckel@perishablesgroup.com