What comes to mind when you think of pies? For many people, the answer is “comfort food.” There is something about a pie that just makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Whether it is grandma’s homemade apple pie at Thanksgiving or the sweet and decadent pies from your favorite local bakery, one thing is for sure: Pies are a delicious and versatile dessert that can be enjoyed by everyone.
But who exactly is the target market for pies? And what are their motivations for buying pies instead of other foods?
Let’s find out!
Who Is the Target Market for Pies?
One of the best ways to understand the target market for pies is to understand the different reasons why people buy pies. Once we focus on people’s motivations for selecting a pie from their favorite bakery (as opposed to other foods), we can begin to carve the market into different segments based on people’s needs.
Such a needs-based segmentation gives us the following customer segments of the market for pies:
- People looking for comfort food
- People buying a dessert for dinner
- People buying a food item to take to someone else’s house
- People looking for a sweet for a special occasion
- People who love the ingredients or toppings of a pie
- People with special dietary needs
- People who want to support a local bakery
- Parents looking for a snack for their children
Let’s now look more closely at each of these segments of the target market for pies and understand what makes them pick a pie over another food and what attracts them to one type of pie over another.
1. People looking for comfort food
For many people, eating pie is synonymous with feeling good. Pies are often seen as comfort food because they remind us of happy times from our childhoods or evoke feelings of nostalgia.
Grandma’s apple pie or the pumpkin pie we had at our school’s fall festival growing up can bring back such strong memories and emotions that we are willing to pay a premium for those pies.
This segment of the target market for pies is often willing to pay more for their pies because they view them as a special treat. They may not buy pies often, but when they do, they want it to be worth their while.
2. People buying a dessert for dinner
There’s something about pies that just screams “home.” Maybe it’s the comforting smell of cinnamon and apples wafting from the oven. Maybe it’s the feel of a warm slice in your hands on a cold day.
Or maybe it’s the way a bite of pie seems to transport you back to childhood, to simpler times when the world was a little bit sweeter. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that pies hold a special place in our hearts.
And that’s why, when we’re looking for a dessert that will make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, we often turn to pies.
3. People buying a food item to take to someone else’s house
When you’re invited to someone’s home, it’s always nice to bring a little something to show your appreciation. For many people, that means bringing a pie.
Pies are a classic dessert that can be enjoyed by everyone and they’re also relatively easy to transport. Plus, there’s something special about receiving a homemade pie that makes it feel like a more personal gift than, say, a bottle of wine.
But a special pie made by a local bakery can also be a great gift. If you know the recipient loves a certain type of pie, it can be the perfect way to show them you were thinking of them.
4. People looking for a sweet for a special occasion
There’s nothing quite like a pie to celebrate a special occasion. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or just a chance to get together with friends and family, a pie is always a welcome addition to the festivities.
Pies are also relatively easy to make or buy. So if you’re short on time or not confident in your baking skills, you can still enjoy a delicious pie without all the stress.
Plus, there are so many different types of pies to choose from that you’re sure to find one that will please everyone at the party.
From fruit pies to cream pies to Nutella pies, there’s a pie out there for everyone.
5. People who love the ingredients or toppings of a pie
This segment of the target market for pies simply buys a pie because they love the topping on the pie or what the pie is made of.
For instance, people who love strawberries are often gravitated toward strawberry pies, not as much because they like the crest or the cream but because they love picking the strawberries one by one.
Similarly, chocolate lovers will often go for a chocolate pie because they want that smooth, rich chocolate flavor in every bite.
6. People with special dietary needs
Some bakeries specialize in pies that are gluten-free, vegan, with sugar alternatives, or made with other special ingredients.
For people with dietary restrictions, these pies can be a lifesaver when it comes to finding a dessert that they can actually enjoy.
And for those who don’t have any dietary restrictions, these pies can still be a delicious option.
This segment of the target market for pies can be quite loyal to the bakeries that make these pies because they know they can always count on them for a delicious and safe dessert.
7. People who want to support a local bakery
Many people will buy a pie from a local bakery simply because they want to support the business.
They may not even be particularly interested in pies, but they know that by buying a pie from the bakery, they’re helping to keep it in business.
This is especially true for small, family-run bakeries that have been passed down for generations. These bakeries are often a vital part of the community, and people want to do what they can to keep them going.
While this segment of the target market for pies cannot be counted on for consistent high sales, they can be a valuable source of income for bakeries, especially during tough times.
In fact, many new bakeries reach profitability because of the loyalty of their earliest customers and patrons making this a valuable market for bakeries.
8. Parents looking for a snack for their children
Finally, we have parents. Parents are always looking for snacks for their children, and pies can make a great snack.
While pies aren’t always the healthiest of snacks, they can sometimes be a great way to get children to eat fruit.
They can also be good at breakfast when parents are short on time and when children can be annoyingly picky. Pies can be a quick and easy way to get some food into their children’s bellies before they head off to school.
Conclusion
The target market for pies is broad and diverse and people often have multiple motivations for buying pies.
Many people buy pies because they feel it is the ultimate comfort food. Not far behind are those who buy pies for dessert after dinner. In some sense, they too are looking for comfort.
Many people feel that a pie is the best food item to take when invited for a meal at someone else’s home. Especially, if it is a special occasion a pie can be a way to show how much you care.
Some people buy a pie because they love the toppings or the ingredients the pie is made from. Sometimes this is linked to dietary needs or restrictions.
Parents will often have a pie in the house as a snack for their children or as an easy breakfast option.
And finally, buying something from a bakery as a way of showing support is also one of the many reasons people buy pies.