Wafers: Seeking New Horizons

Future growth in demand for wafer biscuits is likely to be highest in the world’s less developed regions. Although the market for wafer biscuits has a long history, innovations in production technology continue to emerge, enabling manufacturers to supply higher quality and more novel products.

by Jonathan Thomas

Wafers can be defined as dry, crispy thin sweet biscuits sold in different shapes, sizes and formats. They are one of the oldest types of biscuits, since their heritage can be traced back to medieval times. Their main applications within the food industry are twofold – either as a carrier for ice cream, or as part of a sweet biscuit (typically sandwiched in multiple layers and filled with cream and sometimes covered in chocolate) eaten as a snack. 

When they first appeared, wafers were usually made with a sweetened batter that was cooked over a fire. As technology levels improved, the range of wafers available broadened to encompass molded or rolled versions. Hollow rolled wafers have grown in popularity within the last couple of decades throughout much of the world – these are made from batter containing a high sugar content, typically between 40% and 70%. A more recent area of growth has been Spanish cones, i.e. folded sugar cones which features a folded top rim, which offer a an attractive shape and a more premium bite. The baking process incorporates wafer sheets, which are prepared between pairs of hinged, heated metal plates – these are used to create an intricate, waffle-style surface pattern. 

According to the German-based enzyme designer SternEnzym (which forms part of the Stern-Wywiol Group), global demand for individualized applications continues to rise – the company’s enzyme-related technologies are used to create a more homogenous batter and a crispier texture, as well as reducing the risk of breakage and lowering energy costs. During the manufacturing process, enzymes can be applied to reduce the viscosity of the wafer’s batter (and therefore lower the amount of water used during the baking process), which in turn will shorten kneading and baking times. With lower water content, the less energy is required for vaporization purposes – this method has been shown to reduce energy costs by up to 15%.

Market Trends

The global market for sweet and wafer biscuits is both large and mature, with consumption heaviest in the world’s more developed regions. Global sales are currently worth more than USD85 billion, a figure expected to grow by an annual average of 5% over the next few years, reaching USD115bn by the second half of the present decade. Much of this growth is expected to be led by increased urbanization in potentially large markets such as China and India and the corresponding demand for packaged snack foods, as well as higher income levels and the greater prevalence of snacking amongst younger consumers in place of formal mealtimes. 

In recent years, demand for sweet biscuits such as wafers is believed to have benefited from the lockdown measures introduced throughout the world to curb the spread of Covid-19. The number of in-home snacking occasions increased as people were less able to work or socialize outside the house, with many consumers turning towards sweet biscuits to relieve boredom or for an acceptable treat during stressful times. The fact that sweet biscuits continue to represent a popular accompaniment to hot drinks such as tea and coffee has also contributed towards much of the market growth experienced since 2020. 

Wafers (especially chocolate-covered wafer biscuits such as the Kit Kat brand) continue to account for a significant percentage of the global market for sweet biscuits. However, competition remains strong from other forms of sweet biscuits, such as cookies and sandwich-style products. Wafer-style biscuits have been shown to be most popular with children and the younger age groups, as can be illustrated by their position as a favorite tea-time treat in markets such as the UK.

Consumers are also turning in greater numbers towards healthier forms of sweet biscuits, which usually carry some health claim such as being low in sugar or saturated fat or incorporating ingredients like protein. In parts of the world, demand for sweet biscuits was adversely affected by consumer health concerns during the years leading up to the pandemic. It is largely for these reasons that manufacturers of wafers and wafer biscuits have been experimenting with healthier versions to address consumer dietary concerns. Attempts have been made at nutritional reformulation (e.g. lowering of sugar levels of calories), as well as developing products suitable for specific diets such as gluten-free.

By region, Europe accounts for over 30% of the global market for wafer biscuits. The region is home to many of the market’s oldest and most well-established suppliers, while wafers enjoy a strong heritage in countries such as France and Italy. The US represents another large regional market for wafer biscuits, even though growth has been limited in recent years by competition from other snack foods and consumer health concerns. Much of the future growth is anticipated to come from the Asia-Pacific region, in countries such as China and India. It is perhaps significant to note that some multinational suppliers have been targeting parts of Asia as growth has slowed in Western Europe and North America. 

You can read the rest of this article in the May-June issue of European Baker & Biscuit magazine, which you can access by clicking here.