Donuts represented 7.5 percent of total in-store bakery sales during the 52 weeks ending June 28, 2008. The donut category is the largest breakfast bakery supercategory in dollar contribution, followed by sweetgoods, muffins and bagels. Donuts averaged $672 per week per store, a 0.6 percent increase from the previous year, making donuts third in growth in the breakfast bakery supercategory and 11th overall relative to other categories in the bakery department. The category includes varieties such as assorted/variety bulk, cake, filled, gem/mini/donut holes, yeast and other donuts.

This report, contributed by the Perishables Group, a Chicago-based independent consulting firm, contains supermarket in-store bakery data for the 52 weeks ending June 28, 2008.

Sales were relatively consistent in the spring, summer and fall, showing the most fluctuation in the early winter months. The category increased dollar sales from January through February and peaked the week ending Feb. 9, 2008, with the start of Lent/Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday, at $796 in average weekly sales per store. With the exception of the week immediately following Easter, each week from February through June registered above average dollar sales, indicating these are key months for generating donut category revenue.

Average weekly dollar sales grew in all regions except the South compared to the previous year. The Central region had the highest average weekly dollar sales with $1,151 per week per store, nearly double the national average of $672 and an increase of 3.6 percent from the previous year. The West outpaced the national dollars per week per store average by 4.5 percent with $702, while posting the highest increase over the prior year at 4.4 percent. Both the South and East regions fell below the national dollars per week per store average with $536 and $601, respectively. The South was down 2.3 percent over the previous year, while the East was flat.

Donuts had a 7.5 percent dollar contribution to the bakery department for the total U.S. The Central and West regions drove that contribution, outpacing the national average dollar contribution at 11.7 percent and 8.2 percent, respectively. The South region fell below the national average, with donuts contributing 7.3 percent to total bakery department sales. The East contributed 4.7 percent, reflecting the region's preference for bagels and muffins as the breakfast items of choice.

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Nationally, assorted/variety bulk donuts dominated donut sales. The subcategory accounted for 45.6 percent of dollar sales during the 52 weeks, followed by yeast donuts at 30.3 percent, gem/mini/donut holes at 10.9 percent, cake donuts at 7.5 percent, filled donuts at 5.5 percent and other donuts at 0.2 percent. Assorted/variety bulk donut sales had the largest increase in sales over the previous year in the West, up 13.4 percent. This subcategory had the largest category contribution in the Central region with 5.3 percent, followed by the West region at 5.2 percent.

Reported results are for July 7, 2007 through June 28, 2008, and were compiled from grocery stores nationwide, representing 62.2 percent of national supermarket ACV share. For more information, contact the Perishables Group: Kelli Beckel, 773/929-7013; e-mail: KelliB@perishablesgroup.com.