Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

Ryals McMullian: Yes, I think the gap should €“ they should stay pretty stable throughout the year. I mean, overall, there is going to be more sort of total dollar in private label and foodservice overall, but the pricing is across the entire business, but probably a little bit more heavily weighted towards private label and foodservice. But I would expect the gaps to €“ assuming €“ this is us talking, depending on the retailers can always do something different, but I would expect the gaps to maintain where they are.

Jim Salera: Okay. And then maybe one more question on that, from a consumer perspective, do you think once €“ if they have traded down, whether it’s from a high premium to just a normal branded or from normal branded to private label, do you think that there needs to be promo in the channel to get them to make the switch back up the value chain? Or as the gaps narrow, do you think they’ll just kind of naturally go back to buying the more premium SKUs?

Ryals McMullian: Yes. I mean, certainly, my hope is that it’s the latter. That’s just something we will have to wait and see what happens here. So far, the competitive environment has been €“ has continued to be stable, haven’t seen any meaningful uptick. And I would certainly hope that any consumers that might have left a Nature’s Own or DKB to trade down, that something else will come back. But that’s also remember the reason that we’re continuing with our marketing spend. We’re not slashing that for the year because it’s going to be a difficult year. We’re continuing to invest in our brands. And when the time comes and some of this pressure is relieved on the consumer, I think that they recognize the differentiated aspects of our top brands. And I mean I think that alone, in addition to the marketing support, will all drive them back to us.

Jim Salera: Okay, thanks, guys. I will pass it on.

Operator: And I’m going to remove Mitchell from the platform. Our next question will come from Connor Rattigan, Consumer Edge. Your line is open.

Connor Rattigan: Hey, guys. Good morning. Thanks for the question.

Ryals McMullian: Good morning.

Connor Rattigan: Yes. So it sounds like you guys have a really exciting innovation pipeline coming from Dave bars and snack bites to Nature’s Own breakfast pastries. And so clearly, the snack occasion is totally incremental to the existing portfolio. But I guess on the breakfast pastry, in your research, do you guys see this as a substitute to your current breakfast products like bagels or English muffins or is this really bringing on a new customer or a new occasion?

Ryals McMullian: Yes, we actually think it will be incremental, Connor, which is a pretty exciting prospect. Now remember, those breakfast pastries are still just in test. But the thesis is bringing something additionally differentiated. And what’s interesting about these breakfast pastries is that we would intend actually to market those in the bread isle. So, I see it as an incremental item to a bagel or an English muffin, something like that, that distinguishes those from the DKB bars, which of course, are warehouse distributed, and they are in the kind of the traditional bar out.

Connor Rattigan: Okay. That’s great. That’s really interesting. And then also, too, just a little bit on the basis of the future initiative, if possible, could you guys maybe share some of the data points you are collecting or maybe some of the insights that you have gleaned thus far? And maybe any cost savings initiatives as the budget to pursue?