Crate & Barrel's CEO says that sales of bread makers soared to new heights as people turned to baking while under stay-at-home orders
- Baking bread quickly became a popular pastime as people stayed home amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- Demand for yeast and flour surged near the end of March.
- According to Neela Montgomery, CEO of Crate & Barrel Holdings, bread makers have been a hot commodity, too.
Lots of people have found new hobbies while staying at home amid the coronavirus pandemic.
For many, that has apparently meant a newfound love of baking bread. Back in March, makers of yeast and flour quickly ramped up production as demand surged. US sales of yeast grew 647% in the week ending March 21, compared to the same week in 2019, according to Nielsen data.
Neela Montgomery, CEO of Crate & Barrel Holdings, told Business Insider the retailer saw evidence of the bread-making trend taking off on its own website.
"In one week in April, we sold more bread makers than we did in the whole of 2019," she said.
As Business Insider's Hayley Peterson reported, baking bread could help people to fight boredom and avoid making more trips to the grocery store.
Even now, the Cuisinart bread makers listed on Crate & Barrel's site are showing significant shipping delays. The page for a compact automatic bread maker says the appliance is estimated to ship in late August, while a convection bread maker is estimated for mid-September.
Montgomery added that overall demand for kitchen goods went up this spring as people adjusted to cooking at home more often.
"It'll be just really interesting for us as a brand to think about how do we retain those customers and convert them to being real, loyal advocates for the Crate & Barrel brand," she said.