Q4 2020 Flowers Foods Inc Earnings Call (Pre-Recorded)
[music].
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by and welcome to the flowers foods fourth quarter and full year 2020 results conference call. At this time all participant lines are on a listen only mode. After the speaker's presentation. There will be a question and answer session to ask a question. During this session you will need to press star.
One on your telephone.
Be advised that today's conference is being recorded if you require any further assistance. Please press star zero I would now like to hand, the conference over to your speaker today J T. Rick SVP of finance and Investor Relations. Thank you. Please go ahead Sir.
Thank you operator, and good morning hope everyone had the opportunity for <unk>.
To review our earnings release and presentation and also listen to our prepared remarks, all of which are available on our Investor Relations website.
Knowing the conclusion of today's Q&A session. We will also post an audio replay of this call.
Please note that in this Q&A session. We may make forward looking statements about the company's performance. Although we believe these statements to be reasonable they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially.
In addition to what you hear on these remarks important factors relating to flowers foods business are fully detailed in our SEC filings. We also provide non-GAAP financial measures from which disclosure and reconciliations are provided in the earnings release net.
The end of the slide presentation on our website.
Joining me today are rising on president and CEO and Steve Kinsey our CFO.
Cindy already to start the Q&A. Please.
As a reminder to ask a question you will need to press star one on your telephone to withdraw your question press the pound or hash key.
And your first question comes from Bill Chappell with Truest Securities.
Thanks, Good morning.
Morning Bill.
Okay.
Kind of struck by.
In the prepared remarks, the commentary of the growth on Wonderbread.
I mean, almost as the Dave's killer bread for the year.
And so I'm just trying to understand I guess, a little more color around that because I.
I would think that I guess one.
Net growing faster the nature zone would be a negative hit to price.
<unk> mix, but obviously you had very good price mix for us in the quarter and the year. So is that just taking share from private label in your store brand sales and so that's really driving it is there anything else going on other than kind of.
Consumer migration up to a branded product EBITDA more similar price points and on how sustainable is kind of the wonder strength as we go into 2021.
Sure Bill actually we're very pleased with the wonder growth most of that is going to be on the bond and roll side not as much on the bread side, which is exactly what we wanted to accomplish I mean, as we've talked about before we were somewhat behind on R. R.
<unk> branded bun enroll growth because traditionally we had kind of a smattering of regional brands.
On the sunbeams of the world things like that we needed to get aligned behind on National brand to run national programs with national retailers and Seth what we migrate into over the last few years.
So as some of the regional businesses has has fallen off intentionally.
<unk> been able to grow wonder wonder quite nicely. So again most of it is going to be on the on the button roll side and Thats quite intentional.
Okay.
That's helpful and then.
Are you seeing though in terms of a general with the store brands continuing to be weak.
Do you expect this migration up to more branded products to remain or are you seeing any pulling back of that a consumer is kind of going back to their traditional buying habits.
Not yet not yet and of course, that's one of the big questions for you are right. It kind of goes back to looking at a potential mixed reversion in total, but the private label trends that we saw in Q4.
Actually if you exclude the 50 <unk> week private label is actually a little bit worse sequentially in Q4 than it was in Q3. So there's been no change in the trend yet.
Could see some of that later in the year, but obviously our focus is on is on branded growth.
Putting support additional support behind brands like Wonder and Nature's own Dave's the rest of them as a as a key strategic priority for us.
Got it and then one last one Steve.
I think we're all.
Familiar that the when.
When you hear major ERP implementation with packaged food company, it's not always a recipe for success.
Can you just help us understand where the systems are on that process as part of the transformation office.
And what kind of what you kind of expect to see coming out of that once it is done.
Sure.
I guess, historically I guess when you're here.
<unk> initiative.
Upgrade.
<unk> get a little smoothed the reality is I think over the past decade, or so you've seen most of these would be fairly successful.
We implemented back in 2000 back.
Back in 2000, so it's been about 20 years, and we haven't had or seen any major or significant upgrades within our system.
Currently we are on track to keep our.
The overarching ERP system and they are in the midst of an upgrade.
As for harvest so far.
Basically we will be following in line with that.
And.
So we're in the middle of selecting on implementation partner after that point, we'll decide which modules move into a true upgrade.
But overall, we feel like with the transformation office.
And we have laid out will be very.
Mindful and cautious with the approach so it's not like we're changing our ERP platform. It's really an upgrade on what we have currently have.
Bill just to just to add to that.
We are pretty early in the process I mean, we're as Steve said, we're just yes, just getting the ESI selected.
It's early days, but it's also important and you saw on the prepared remarks to remember that this is not solely an it project. This is this is a part of a broader digital strategy.
On the best way that I.
Thank you should think about it is that.
Particularly the ERP upgrade and the rest of the digital strategy or are really going to be key enablers to.
So the execution of our broader strategic plan, whether that's brand support or network optimization of plant upgrades.
To be quite Frank from a from an overall digital standpoint flowers is behind its peer group and frankly its competitors. So this is something that we've needed to do for quite a while on.
Obviously coming off of a very strong year, great cash flow is very strong earnings. This was this was a great time to make the investment.
No.
Would we see the benefits this year or that's more more next year in terms of some of these efforts, yes very little.
Immaterial benefit this year the investments will come this year the benefits will follow in 2002 on beyond it will be more specific about that later in the year as the business case comes into clearer focus.
Great. Thanks, so much.
Sure.
Your next question comes from Brian Holland from D. A Davidson.
Thanks, Good morning, everyone. Good morning.
So I wanted to ask about the guide for 2021.
Ralph in your prepared remarks, you made reference that the guidance is in line with the targets.
With your long term targets, if you use 2019 as the base so.
I guess I would think that this backdrop would be net favorable obviously it was hugely favorable in 2020, obviously mean reversion coming in 2021, but you still have a quarter of.
Or at least two months here of what should be.
More or less what we've seen in the past several months.
And then even if we start to revert back we still are going to have this mix of more work from home it will be a progression towards herd immunity et cetera, so kind of with that as backdrop I mean is it.
The commodity inflation and the investments in digital are going to be the offsets that keep us in line with algorithm.
As opposed to maybe staying above algorithm for another year or if we're going to use the 19% to 21 trajectory.
Or is there something else, we should be thinking about here in the way that you're <unk>.
Forecasting out the year.
No no I think you're I think you're pretty much spot on the only thing I would say is maybe a slight correction is the very bottom end of the guidance would be slightly below algorithm.
Also remember you've got an estimated nickel of digital investment that we're making this year that does that does burn that we're not adjusting for that but it is a factor to be considered but that $1 seven on the bottom end would be slightly below but.
Again, making the investments to enable us to be within or above algorithm over the longer term. So I'll say that first I think.
The factors for the year I think you've got all of those right not sure that I would put commodities at the top of that list I think top of mind from me are two things.
When and when does the mix reversion happen and to what extent does it happen right. How deep is that mix reverted back towards let's call. It 2019 levels.
I personally don't think it will go all the way back, but I do think that there will be some and the timing of that would impact ultimately where you fall on the range. That's number one number two would be the promotional environment right now in the fourth quarter things remained stable.
I would say the same after five weeks into the into the new year, but but as we move through the year and things revert back to normal to what extent does the category start to promote more to retain.
The gains of 2020.
I appreciate the color Ralph and if I could just follow up on that last point so.
Historically.
When I think about this category and I think about the backdrop for flowers foods intuitively. The logic has been inflation is is a net positive for flowers because you compete against at this disproportionate number of independent Bakers, who maybe don't.
<unk> used as much forward buying don't have as sophisticated hedging sophisticated hedging practice.
So maybe you have to be responsive to higher wheat costs right away.
Which gives you either have the flexibility to take pricing time and realize the higher spread or maybe.
Kind of continued to manage given your hedging that maybe youre going to see that inflation a little bit later, you could be a little bit more promotional and you would take more share. So so either way you sort of are in a favorable position I guess, the inverse would be a little bit.
It would be true as well when we start to see deflation, but so I guess, maybe two things one is that an outdated logic.
As as it pertains to the setup and then two if.
It's not is it still relevant then how do you think about managing that over the next 12 months as the focus on volume or is the focus on getting the price through and flowing that through to margins.
Yes, let me start on the Asti to weigh in here too no I don't think its outdated logic.
Hi.
But I also think it's perhaps not quite as meaningful as it once was given the industry consolidation I mean, theres just not as many.
As there used to be right. So so their influence is not quite as great. Though it is still there and I think everything you said was accurate I just don't think it's perhaps as impactful as it was a decade ago.
What I would also say is that.
And we've seen this through throughout 2020 in particular that.
We've been able to promote at a higher base price, we're getting more dollars left from our promotions and I attribute a great deal of that.
To the capabilities that we've built from a price promotion standpoint that we that we did not have before in.
In short we are just a lot smarter about how we promote where we promote when we promote.
And we're able to get a better return on that but I also think.
The overall branded strategy really helps there too I mean, we're working with really strong.
Brands, as you know and and I think that.
That goes a long way as well anything you want to add to that Brian We've stayed pretty true to our philosophy and strategy. That's work I would say, it's fairly well for us for most of my career so to Robert's point.
We take coverage in that six to nine month timeframe and obviously.
Some years that worked well for some years as you say.
<unk> area, and we may be caught but for the most part for 2021, we feel good about the coverage we have on and off we will see inflation start to <unk>.
Ramp somewhat in the late in the second quarter, but then it really picks up in the back half.
That's really dependent on how the.
How the crops come out so there.
While we expect pretty significant inflation back half there may still be a few opportunities there.
Understood.
Again in Europe.
I appreciate your prepared remarks from from last evening.
The way in which you're organized a lot of the initiatives and clearly you have a number going on.
Some may take a little bit longer some may flow through.
Quicker one that stands out to me I don't know if its my Philadelphia routes or maybe just some conversations I've had with you all offline.
Really curious about the navy yard and.
The underperforming snack cakes segment for you if we could just kind of walk through.
How quickly we think we can enhance the performance there.
With the new leadership, and maybe a tighter focus on that and kind of what the mechanics are.
Sure happy to do it.
I'm pleased to report that we're already making good progress.
The changes that we've made putting David up there.
To oversee these efforts, particularly at the Navy yard and frankly the team that we have there at Navy yard.
They've really done on they've really done a great job getting the operation on its way to turning around we're not there yet.
But we're really starting to see some nice progress thought towards the end of the year and that's continued into this year.
We have pretty significant target set for them. This year that they are able to achieve and I have no reason to think they will not.
As I've said before that will be a material benefit to the company as a whole not just 90 yard.
I think we've mentioned before we've.
Upgraded some equipment in that plant.
Put some capital dollars into it automated some of the lines, particularly on the on the.
On the GAAP on the packaging in installs from robotics that has helped a lot to bring.
On the scrap rates down which was on.
A major issue there and a large source of the on.
The financial difficulty they were having.
So we're definitely on the raw on the path to recovery, we're not there yet, but we expect to see significant improvement there. This year I'd also mentioned.
Not just doing things from an operational standpoint.
Talking specifically about Navy yard and tasty now.
But we're also do anything on things on the commercial side simplifying the operations, we are doing SKU rat.
We're focusing on.
Focusing on price and promotion to make sure we have all that right and we're getting the required returns. So it's a combination of that.
Combination effort on both operational improvements and commercial improvements.
I appreciate all the color. Thank you sure.
Your next question comes from Rob Dickerson with Jefferies.
Great. Thanks, good morning.
Thank you.
Yes.
A question on M&A thoughts.
From here, obviously it sounds like you have a few moving pieces right occurring this year.
And going through a larger optimization plan ERP strategy Capex is up.
Like you said about the end of the.
The year on a great cash position.
I think the best ever.
Leverage seems to be fairly well contained.
And then also your EPS target I think long run.
Relative to sales and EBITDA target does include some M&A.
Right. So would you say hey, given this evening day kind of more of a transition year and kind of where the focus is internally that.
You may not be in a spot right now to be aggressively pursuing.
Healthy pipeline of acquisitions.
Or.
The same time could you potentially as an organization still yeah with.
While you're implementing the other pieces on the strategy.
First question. Thanks.
Sure Rob.
Short short answer I, absolutely think we can still be active there.
I think that particularly.
Now that we have the transformation office set up and with the government governance protocols that we have in place to oversee all the strategic initiatives that we're in a better position to be able to flex. So even if we have to pause something for a moment in order to I mean M&A.
M&A opportunities come in you've got to kind of strike while the iron is hot right. The timing is not necessarily always on your choosing.
But I think we would have I think we would have plenty of flexibility to.
Turning our attention to an M&A opportunity should should that arise.
We are pretty excited about this year from an M&A standpoint, I mean, we are starting to see things.
Again to heat up again sort of post post crisis, if you will.
A lot of things coming to market a lot of rumblings about things to come to come down the road. So the pipeline remains good.
We will remain pretty disciplined about how we approach this but the.
The opportunities seem like they are they are starting to pick back up again.
Okay, Great and then just quickly.
And pardon me if somebody else had asked unfortunately.
Unfortunately to hop on late.
In the prepared remarks from yesterday, there's a line in there.
Kind of yes, there are optimization savings of $30 million to $40 million. It seems like that's kind of more front half loaded in the year.
So maybe if you would suggest yes.
It's probably for you, Steve just kind of walk through why.
There wouldn't be incremental optimization savings in the back half of the year. That's one and then two is.
Can there be upside from those optimization savings to hopefully potentially partially offset some of the promotional and.
Overall cost inflation risk later in the year.
Sure.
Or are some benefit from the back half. It's just that the majority of them are coming in the first half and Rob This is basically.
On a continuation of the portfolio optimization savings, we got in the back half of last year.
All the same initiatives on overhead and procurement and all of those all those things we talked about last year, we just start to lap them in the second half of the year. We just want the benefit is not as great.
Alright. Thank you decided on real one quick last one is just on kind of where you're seeing the mix of the business go.
Yes, it's about in the past whenever 10 months.
Were there any kind of broad learnings that would make you rethink where you want to play.
That's assuming we still want to have that capacity come back on some of that foodservice business and some of the private label business.
But if it all didn't come back would that necessarily be a bad thing for flowers, just given what we've seen has happened with price index and margin.
Not necessarily no.
As we've said there is there are certainly pieces of our foodservice business that we really like.
And then there are some parts that are that are underperforming and we're working to get those up to up to snuff.
But I think the key learning from 2020 is the power of mix and Rob as we've talked about.
This was our strategy going into 2020, focusing on focusing on brands and trying to get a higher a higher mix of branded products in the portfolio, both organically and <unk>.
Future M&A deal.
2020, just really exaggerated that.
On a very meaningful way, but I think for us the most powerful thing it did throughout the organization was demonstrate that power of mix to everybody from me all the way down through the organization because yes.
We are older company, you've got we've got a lot of long tenured employees, there was a certain way of thinking here.
That kind of emphasize volume over value instead of the other way around this really proved to everybody again for me to the independent distributor partners to the folks on plants that mix matters, and and you don't need all of that volume if you're if you're.
If youre mixes is positive.
Okay perfect. Thank you.
Your next question comes from Fraser with.
With Deutsche Bank.
Hi, good morning, Thank you.
Im wondering I guess, a little bit of from a follow up to the last question on this.
Typically on DTD and Canyon.
It strikes me that those are sort of more longer term growth drivers.
And I was wondering how you were thinking about those two brands relative to the rest of the branded portfolio is there a scenario where maybe this year. Those two brands can continue to grow while you do see mix reversion on the rest of the portfolio. So just more color on how you were thinking about the value.
This isn't the branded portfolio.
Sure.
It Shouldnt come as surprise, a surprised that <unk> and canyon are obviously.
Big Big.
Big beneficiary beneficiaries of our of our focus they do continue to grow at a rapid rate, obviously canyon's a lot smaller being in a smaller category.
Happy to report <unk>.
Now over $800 million brand at retail.
And we just bought them back in 2015. So the growth has just been has been extraordinary but I'll say it again.
Dk vs.
Household penetration is half of nature zone still.
So there is a tremendous amount of room to continue to grow that awareness and as we grow that awareness not only do we grow the dk rebrand with the product portfolio. We have today, but it also gives us the right to expand that product portfolio into potentially even adjacent categories.
The runway for growth for Daves is tremendous are several.
We think that of Canyon, though it is a smaller piece of the pie I think canyon was around $120 million on retail JV this year.
Great growth from them too, but just on a smaller scale, but I think there's plenty of opportunity to continue to grow in the in the gluten free category as well.
Kenyans basically doubled its share of the gluten free bread category to around <unk> 34, a share I think at last look and of course, DKK 68 share of the organic bread category. So.
We're in a.
<unk> position of strength, so it's incumbent upon us to capitalize on that.
Yeah.
I guess as it relates to M&A focus has anything you seem pretty excited about the potential opportunities can you talk about what would get you. Most excited I know at one point you'd laid out certain categories that you would want to be and is there sort of brands that are maybe sort of similar to <unk>.
<unk> Canyon, but I'm wondering what type of opportunities would you be most excited about.
Sure.
Obviously can't comment specifically on brands, but what I will say is we would be looking for things that look one fit strategically and culturally we're always bearing that in mind on obviously the numbers have to work. So you have to has to fit financially, but beyond that yes.
We are looking for.
For brands that are growing we are looking for brands that can be complementary to our existing portfolio and help us grow the overall business and obviously, what we're looking for assets that can be margin accretive even if they're not at the outset 10 day be and is there a good plan for them to be on the long term as they as they scale up in growth.
We have the ability to distribute both DSD and warehouse so were not just limited to DSD.
Though that is the bulk of our business.
Warehouse models are certainly certainly no no issue for us it's really about does it fit financially does it fit operationally does it fit culturally and as a complement the brand portfolio.
Great and then just last question for Steve I know you.
We've talked a little bit about cost inflation is there a way to quantify how you're thinking about the inflation in the back half sort of what's embedded in your guidance and are there sort of any offsets that you're embedding beyond the portfolio optimization savings.
I mean, we would not give specifics, but when you look at kind of what's happening within the wheat market, which primarily.
No impacts flowers, which obviously is our largest input cost.
That's where we're seeing the most inflation.
And historically when you've had inflation with commodities you have you've seen some pricing power.
So we would we would hope to be able to mitigate if it continues to.
On the trajectory we are seeing now we would hope to be able to mitigate some of that through pricing.
Also as Ralph mentioned, we still have optimization efforts going on.
We're looking at mitigation maybe on other.
With input costs.
But the reality is it looks right now.
Most of that inflation is on hold in the back half.
Okay. Thank you so much thank.
Thank you.
Your next question comes from Tim <unk> with Stephens.
For example, the question guys good morning.
So I just wanted to touch on guidance here, just how are you thinking about the cadence of the return to normal how should we think about that impact on sales trends and then how should we think about the contribution of volume and price mix to your top line sales guidance.
Sure Let me, let me start with the cadence and I'll, let Steve talk to talk to the mix.
Yes look it's a hard thing to forecast as we all know.
But generally speaking.
What we've seen so far in the year has been fairly sort of on what we saw in the fourth quarter. There have not been any major changes yet.
However, as you start to approach.
Round week 11, or so for us that's when the difficult comps start against the yen.
The initial surge in demand I think the real question is at what point do you get really broad vaccination rollout.
One thing Thats come out on last week as Johnson <unk> Johnson on getting the.
Emergency order from there for their doses, which would take it up I think to around $600 million.
Doses, which would pretty much do it right.
But how fast is that how fast does that get rolled out and at what point do you kind of reach that herd immunity. The latest things that operating suggest that Q3 Q4.
Herd immunity when you reach that.
But between now and then how quickly do things go back to normal and then the follow up question is what is normal.
Does the new normal look like as a full reversion.
Or is it something less than a full reversion. So we think that things should trend.
Around the same for the first quarter or so and then start to start to taper back.
And the three quarters that follow so that's that's pretty much what we built into our into our guidance model.
But obviously.
Thats an educated.
<unk> forecast and not non stop and we'll just have to we'll have to see how it shakes out I wish I wish I knew for sure, but frankly, none of us do so.
Steve do you want to talk to the next.
Yes, I mean, basically as Ralph said from a reversion of mix perspective.
The mix has been a strong contributor in 2020.
So as that starts to wane somewhat.
As we returned to more normalcy.
We will drive an impact overall margin.
On the kind of the cadence of the guidance as Ralph said the.
Olympic against that happened in Q2, and then moving into the back half but.
It's kind of a jump ball.
If we continue to see a lot of in home.
Eating continue that'll be very very favorable to the mix.
But if you see a lot of confidence in consumer to start.
About again and dining out and obviously that will drop.
Mixed reversion back something pre 2020.
Just to add one more thing to that Tim I mean, you got at the midpoint of our the midpoint of our guidance is above algorithm and as we've said even that midpoint is burdened by our digital investments that we're making this year. So obviously.
We're pretty confident in the plans that we have for the year on the bottom end of the guidance that wouldn't be just.
Our mix reversion.
<unk>.
We're being a little bit perhaps cautious coming out of the gate just because of the lack of visibility.
But what would get you to the bottom end of the guidance would be.
All of these factors coming together much higher promotional environment commodities on a pretty deep mixed reversion, but yes, the mid to the top of the guidance, obviously reflects our continuing confidence on the strategy.
Okay. That's helpful and I just wanted to touch on a bigger picture question here.
Who are the biggest lessons that you've learned over the past year and do you think there is anything structural that you think might make flowers as stronger company coming out of the Covid environment.
Yeah I do.
Interesting question.
We've already done a lot of it I mean, we've as you know we've reorganized.
We created the Chief brand officer position, we've got a new innovation function and we have the transformation office now we've hired a new supply chain officer.
He has hired a new procurement officers. So I think we've done a lot of the organizational structure things that we need to do and I feel really good about the team that we have in place.
As I say all the time I think we've got the best team in the industry and I think with the changes that we've made were even stronger.
As I mentioned earlier I do think that this demonstration of the power mix in our business is one of the most powerful things has happened to the company over the last several years.
It's been a it's been a learning opportunity for the company, it's allowed us to change the mindset of R. R.
Not only the management team, but the broader organization that focusing on brands and following our portfolio strategy.
Is the right way to go for the long term and I think we can continue to build on that.
Alright, Thanks, guys I'll pass it along.
Your next question comes from Mitch Pinheiro with Stephens, Inc.
Amit.
One question just on.
On our two questions perhaps.
Store brands.
Does this per berth.
In 'twenty, one are we going to see store brands take share or.
Retailers' store.
We have learned a good lesson.
During the pandemic that private label just P value.
The category.
Okay.
Yes.
Yes.
It'll be interesting to watch how that unfolds, what I would say matches that private label was in our category at least was in decline prior to the <unk>.
Dennis on the pandemic did accelerate that.
But we were kind of seeing these trends even even prior to.
2020.
Yes.
The retailers if I were the CEO of a retailer I wouldn't want to give the consumer what they want.
And consumers are obviously looking for brands.
We're looking forward on the shelf the physical shelf theyre looking for it on the digital shelf and that's where our focus is so.
Again, I can't speak to what the retailers might might be thinking, but but if I was running one of them I wouldn't want to give consumers what they are asking for.
Okay.
Second question is.
I'm just sort of.
You called out the higher promotion on where the potential for higher promotional environment in the back cash.
I don't see it now haven't seen it.
Why would it be a risk.
What would be the end, especially in light of maybe higher commodity costs why would.
Is there something that you are anticipating or is it just calling out a typical risks branded packaged foods company.
Yes, I think it's more of the latter and certainly we've heard on the food companies talk about it some even talk about how they plan to be more promotional this year to keep the share of the gain through the pandemic. So I think it's just a watch out youre right, we havent seen it yet, but but it's just a risk that we have to take into account should things very quickly revert back to normal how much more promotional does.
The category over all get.
To retain that that share.
And to what extent do we have to participate on that.
Okay. That's all I have thank you.
Rich.
Your next question comes from Ryan Bell with consumer edge research.
Good morning, Ryan.
Good morning, everyone.
Probably not the core focus right now, but could you talk about.
Foodservice business and your expectations for the recovery over the course of the year.
Sure I think I think that foodservice recovery largely follows the question around.
What normalization looks like.
What extent, our restaurants opened back up on New York, New York, starting to slowly open back up but at a very low occupancy level.
It really depends on what that trajectory looks like.
Brian the fast foods side on the business has performed pretty well actually I mean, it's been it's been up a little bit it's really still that broad line sit down fast casual type business that remains under pressure.
If you look at the if you look at the fourth quarter again, excluding the 50 <unk> week foodservice non retail on other for us, but that includes the foodservice business primarily.
We're slightly better.
But no no meaningful recovery yet.
So I think yes.
If you were to pin me down on I would say you'd probably start to see some some maybe more meaningful recovery in the foodservice business towards the back half of the year as opposed to I think the front half.
Tend to be.
More of the same.
Thanks, that's helpful and on.
On the innovation from is there anything.
You would have in mind to help retain from consumers I mean, if you are spending more time at home.
Easier to justify having a whole loaf bread.
If youre going to be having more time at the office.
On what that would mean, maybe innovations such as like half of low.
Any emphasis behind that or anything else that maybe you learned.
You might want to focus on more coming out of the opinion.
Yes, it's a great question I don't want to be too specific for obvious reasons, but suffice it to say that we have.
Pretty significant amount of innovation coming this year.
Our innovation last year contributed some $60 million to the top line. So we've been very pleased with those efforts I think yes.
The way that we've restructured and the resources, we put behind innovation will continue to deliver and hopefully at a faster rate going forward.
Okay. That's helpful and I think the last one from me could you talk about your expectation.
The labor market force cost 10, 2021 on theirs.
Some of that frontline costs that you've had from associated with Covid.
Does that just go away once.
You have the majority of the workforce vaccinated.
Should we think about that.
I'm not sure that some of the cost and safety protocols are going to go away from a long time for a long time.
Despite everyone being vaccinated you've got these other variants that are going around there is probably going to be more of them. As we go down as we go down the road. So I personally think that we're going to be living with us in one way or another for quite a long time.
What will help though.
<unk> is free.
This way the biggest issue for us from a labor standpoint in 2020 was.
The number of people that were out either because they had contracted COVID-19 or because they had come in close contact and we were following our our safety protocols and obviously that that disrupts up operations and your efficiencies or lower I mean, despite our performance in 2020.
Had the plants been able to operate at the efficiency levels. They were capable of it would've been a lot.
Even better significantly better.
But you just you just had you had so many people out so I am looking forward to that calming down as a matter of fact, we've already seen it called out our experience of flowers kind of follows the national trends. The case counts are coming down everything so things are already beginning to normalize we haven't really seen like pure wage inflation.
But it's been more of the resulting inefficiencies from folks being out.
Perfect. Thank you.
Have a good day thank.
Thank you you too.
I'm showing no further questions at this time I would now like to turn the conference back to Ray on Snick Mueller for closing remarks.
Thank you very much Sidney just wanted to thank everybody for their interest in flowers and we look forward to speaking with you again next quarter take care.
Ladies and gentlemen, this does conclude today's conference call you may now disconnect and thank you for your participation.
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Okay.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by and welcome to the flowers foods fourth quarter and full year 2020 results conference call. At this time all participant lines are on a listen only mode. After the speaker's presentation. There will be a question and answer session to ask a question.
This session you will need to press star one on your telephone. Please be advised that today's conference is being recorded if you require any further assistance. Please press star zero I would now like to hand on the conference over to your speaker today J T Rieck SVP of finance and Investor Relations. Thank you. Please go ahead Sir.
Thank you operator, and good morning hope everyone had the opportunity opportunity to review our earnings release and presentation and also listened to our prepared remarks, all of which are available on our Investor Relations website. Following the conclusion of today's Q&A session. We will also post an audio replay of this call.
Please note that in this Q&A session. We may make forward looking statements about the company's performance. Although we believe these statements to be reasonable they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially.
In addition to what you hear on these remarks important factors relating to flowers foods business are fully detailed in our SEC filings. We also provide non-GAAP financial measures from which disclosure and reconciliations are provided in the earnings release and at the end of the slide presentation on our website.
Joining me today are rising on president and CEO and Steve Kinsey our CFO.
Cindy ready to start the Q&A. Please.
As a reminder to ask a question you will need to press star one on your telephone to withdraw your question press the pound or hash key.
And your first question comes from Bill Chappell with Truest Securities.
Thanks, Good morning.
Hi, Bill.
Hey, it was kind of struck by.
In the in the prepared remarks, the commentary of the growth on wonder bread.
I mean, almost as fast as Dave's killer bread for the year.
And so I'm just trying to understand I guess, a little more color around that because I.
I would think that I guess one day.
That growing faster the nature zone would be a negative hit to price mix, but obviously you had very good price makes us in the quarter and the year. So is that just taking share from private label in your store brand sales and so that's really driving it is there anything else going on other than kind of a consumer migration up to eight <unk>.
<unk> product EBITDA more similar price points and you know on how sustainable is kind of the wonder strength as we go into 2021.
Sure Bill actually we're very pleased with the wonder growth most of that is going to be on the bond and roll side not as much on the bread side, which is exactly what we wanted to accomplish I mean, as we've talked about before we were somewhat behind on R. R.
Our branded on enroll growth because traditionally we had kind of a smattering of regional brands.
On the sunbeams of the world things like that we needed to get aligned behind on National brand to run national programs with national retailers and Thats, what we migrate into over the last few years.
So as I read some of the regional businesses has has fallen off intentionally.
<unk> been able to grow wonder wonder quite nicely. So most again most of it is going to be on the on the button roll side and Thats quite intentional.
Okay. That's that's helpful and then.
Are you seeing though I mean in terms of a general with the store brands continuing to be weak.
Do you expect this migration up to more branded products to remain or are you seeing any pulling back of that of consumers kind of going back to their traditional buying habits.
Not yet not yet and of course, that's one of the big questions for you are right. It kind of goes back to looking at a potential mix reversion in total, but the private label trends that we saw in Q4.
Actually if you exclude the 50 <unk> week private label was actually a little bit worse sequentially in Q4 than it was in Q3. So there's been no change in the trends yet.
Could see some of that later in the year, but obviously our focus is on is on branded growth.
Yes, putting support additional support behind brands like Wonder and Nature's own Dave's the rest of him as a key strategic priority for us.
Got it and then one last one Steve.
I think we're all.
Familiar that the ER when you hear major ERP implementation with packaged food company, it's not always a recipe for success. So I mean.
Can you just help us understand where the systems are with that process as part of the transformation office.
And on.
What kind of what you kind of expect to see coming out of that once it's done.
Sure.
I guess historically I guess when you hear ERP initiative.
Investors get a little foods, but the reality is I think over the past decade or so.
Most of these would be fairly successful.
We implemented SAP paid back in 'twenty.
Back in 2000, so it's been about 20 years, and we haven't had or seen any major or significant upgrades within our system.
Currently we are on track to keep.
Our overall overarching ERP system and they are in the midst of an upgrade.
As for Hana so thanks.
Basically on will be following in line with that.
And.
We are in the middle of selecting on implementation partner after that point, we will decide which modules move into a true upgrade.
But overall, we feel like with the transformation office and the <unk>.
Plan, we have laid out will be very.
Mindful and cautious with the approach so it's not like we're changing our ERP platform, it's really an upgrade on what we currently have.
Bill just to just to add to that we are pretty early in the process and they were as Steve said, we're just yes, just getting the ESI selected so yes it.
It's early days, but it's also important and you saw on the prepared remarks to remember that this is not solely on it projects. This is this is but a part of a broader digital strategy and the best way that I think you should think about it is that.
Particularly the ERP upgrade and the rest of the digital strategy here are really going to be key enablers to.
So the execution of our broader strategic plan, whether that's brand support or network optimization of plant upgrades.
On to be quite Frank from a from an overall digital standpoint flowers is behind its peer group and frankly its competitor. So this is something that we've needed to do for quite a while.
Obviously coming off of a very strong year, great cash flow is very strong earnings. This was this was a great time to make the investment.
No.
Would we see the benefits this year or that's more more next year in terms on some of these efforts.
Very little.
An immaterial benefit this year the investments will come this year the benefits will follow in 'twenty, two and beyond it will be more specific about that later in the year as the business case.
Comes into clearer focus.
Great. Thanks, so much.
Sure.
Your next question comes from Brian Holland from D. A Davidson.
Thanks, Good morning, everyone. Good morning.
So I wanted to ask about the guide for 2021.
I think Ross on your prepared remarks, you made reference that the guidance is in line with the targets.
With your long term targets, if you use 2019 as the base so.
I guess I would think that this backdrop would be net favorable obviously was hugely favorable in 2020, obviously mean reversion coming in 2021, but you still have a quarter of <unk>.
Or at least two months here.
But it should be.
More or less what we've seen in the past several months.
And then even if we start to revert back we still are going to have this mix of more work from home it will be a progression towards herd immunity et cetera, so kind of with that as backdrop I mean is it as simple as that.
The commodity inflation and the investments in digital are going to be the offsets that keep us in line with algorithm.
As opposed to maybe staying above algorithm for another year or if we're going to use the 19 to 21 trajectory.
Or is there something else, we should be thinking about here in the way that you're forecasting out the year.
No no I think you're I think you're pretty much spot on the only thing I would say is maybe a slight correction is the very bottom end of the guidance would be slightly below algorithm.
Also remember you have got an estimated nickel of digital investment that we're making this year that does the does burden that we are not adjusting for that but it is a factor to be considered but that $1 seven on the bottom end would be slightly below but.
Again, making the investments to enable us to be within or above algorithm over the longer term.
I'll say that first I think that the.
The factors for the year I think you've got all of those right not sure that I would put commodities at the top of that list I think top of mind from me are two things.
When and when does the mix reversion happen and to what extent does it happen right. How deep is that mix reverted back towards let's call. It 2019 levels.
I don't think it will go all the way back, but I do think that there will be some and the timing of that would impact ultimately where you fall on the range. That's number one number two would be the promotional environment right now in the fourth quarter things remained stable.
I would say the same after five weeks into the into the new year, but but as we move through the year and things revert back to normal to what extent does the category.
To promote more to retain the gains of 2020.
I appreciate the color Ralph and if I could just follow up on that last point so.
Historically.
When I think about this category and I think about the bags are per flowers foods intuitively. The logic has been inflation is is a net positive for flowers because you compete against at this port a disproportionate number of independent bakers.
Maybe don't use as much for buying don't have as sophisticated hedging.
On the hedging practice.
So maybe you have to be responsive to higher wheat costs right away, which gives you either have the flexibility to take pricing time and realize the higher spread or maybe.
Kind of continuing to manage given your hedging that maybe youre going to see that inflation a little bit later, you could be a little bit more promotional and you would take more share. So so either way you sort of are in a favorable position I guess, the inverse would be a little bit.
That would be true as well with when we start to see deflation, but so I guess, maybe two things one is that an outdated logic.
As as it pertains to the setup and then two if it's not if it's still relevant then how do you think about managing that over the next 12 months as the focus on volume or is the focus on getting the price through and flowing that through to margins.
Yes, let me start on the Asti to weigh in here too no I don't think its outdated logic.
But I also think it's perhaps not quite as meaningful as it once was given the industry consolidation I mean, theres just not as many as there used to be right. So so their influence is not quite as great. Though it is still there and I think everything you said was accurate I just don't think it's perhaps as impactful as it was a decade ago.
Hum.
What I would also say is that.
And we've seen this through throughout 2020 in particular that we've been able to promote at a higher base price.
Getting more dollars left from our promotions and I attribute a great deal of that too.
To the capabilities that we built from a price promotion standpoint that we that we did not have before in.
In short we are just a lot smarter about how we promote where we promote when we promote.
And we're able to get a better return on that but I also think.
The overall branded strategy really helps there too I mean, we're working with really strong.
Brands, as you know and and I think that.
That goes a long way as well anything you want to add to that Brian We've stayed pretty true to our philosophy on strategy doesn't work I would say, it's fairly well for us for most of our career so to Robert's point.
We take coverage on that six to nine month timeframe and obviously.
Some years that works well for some years as you say be deflationary and we may be call it but for the most far for 'twenty and 'twenty. One we felt good about the coverage we have on and off we will see inflation start to ramp somewhat in the late in the second quarter, but then it really picks up in the back half.
And that's really dependent on how the how the crops come out so there.
While we expect pretty significant inflation back half there may still be a few opportunities there.
Understood.
Again in Europe.
I appreciate your prepared.
Remarks from from last evening.
The way in which you organized a lot of the initiatives and clearly you have a number going on.
Some may take a little bit longer some may flow through.
Quicker one that stands out to me I don't know if its my Philadelphia routes or maybe just some conversations I've had with you all offline, but really curious about the navy yard and.
On the underperforming snack cake segment for you if we could just kind of walk through.
How quickly we think we can enhance the performance there.
With the new leadership, and maybe a tighter focus on that and kind of what the mechanics are.
Sure happy to do it I am pleased to report that we're already making good progress I mean the the.
The changes that we've made putting David up there.
To oversee those efforts, particularly in the Navy yard and frankly the team that we have there at Navy yard.
You've really done it they've really done a great job getting the operation on its way to turning around we're not there yet.
But we're really starting to see some nice progress on towards the end of the year and that's continued into this year.
We have pretty significant target set for them this year.
If they are able to achieve and I have no reason to think they will not.
As I've said before that will be a material benefit to the company as a whole not just in ADR.
We've mentioned before we've.
We've upgraded some equipment in that plant.
Put some capital dollars into it automated some of the lines, particularly on the on the on.
On the GAAP on the packaging in installs from robotics that has helped a lot to bring the <unk>.
The scrap rates down which was.
A major issue there and a large source of.
The financial difficulty they were having.
So we're definitely on the raw on the path to recovery, we're not there yet, but we expect to see significant improvement there. This year I'd also mentioned.
Not just doing things from an operational standpoint.
Talking specifically about Navy yard and tasty now.
But we're also do anything on things on the commercial side simplifying the operations, we are doing SKU rat.
We're focusing on.
Focusing on price and promotion to make sure we have all that right. We're getting the required returns. So it's a combination.
Combination effort on both operational improvements and commercial improvements.
I appreciate all the color. Thank you sure.
Your next question comes from Rob Dickerson with Jefferies.
Great. Thanks, Hey, good morning.
Thank you.
Yes.
Kind of weird.
A question on M&A thoughts.
From here you know obviously it sounds like you have a few moving pieces alright occurring this year.
And going through a larger optimization plan.
<unk> strategy Capex is up.
Like you said you ended the year on a great cash position.
I think the best ever.
Leverage seems to be fairly well contained.
And then also your EPS target I think long run.
Relative to sales and EBITDA target does include some M&A right. So would you say hey, given its E beam day kind.
Kind of more of a true trend this year and kind of where the focus is internally that you.
You may not be in a spot right now to be aggressively pursuing.
A healthy pipeline of acquisitions.
Or the <unk>.
Same time could you potentially as an organization still yeah with.
With acquisitions, while you're implementing the other pieces of the strategy. That's just the first question. Thanks.
Sure Rob.
Short short answer I, absolutely think we can still be active there.
I think particularly.
Now that we have the transformation office set up and with the government governance protocols that we havent placed on oversee all of these strategic initiatives that we are in a better position to be able to flex. So even if we have to pause something for a moment in order to I mean M&A.
M&A opportunities come in you've got to kind of strike, while the iron right. The timing is not necessarily always on your choosing.
But I think we would have I think we would have plenty of flexibility to the <unk>.
Turning our attention to an M&A opportunity should should that arise I'm actually pretty excited about this year from an M&A standpoint, I mean, we are starting to see things.
Yes.
Up again sort of post post crisis, if you will.
A lot of things coming to market a lot of rumblings about things to come to come down the road. So the pipeline remains good.
We will remain pretty disciplined about how we approach this but the.
On the opportunity seemed like they're starting to pick back up again.
Okay, Great and then.
Just quickly.
Yeah.
And pardon me, if somebody else to that.
Unfortunately to hop on late.
In the prepared remarks from yesterday right, there's a line in there.
Kind of yes, there are optimization savings of $30 million to $40 million. It seems like that's kind of more front half loaded in the year.
So maybe if you would suggest that's probably from <unk>.
Just kind of walk through why.
There wouldn't be incremental optimization savings in the back half of the year. That's one and then two is can there be upside from those optimization savings to hopefully.
Partially offset some of the promotional and.
Or just overall cost inflation risks later on the year.
Sure there are some benefits from the back half. It's just that the majority of them are coming in the first half and Rob This is basically.
On a continuation of the portfolio optimization savings, we got into the back half of last year.
All the same initiatives on overhead and procurement and all of those all those things we talked about last year, we just start to lap them in the second half of the year. We just want the benefit is not as great.
Sorry, if I could just slide in real one quick last one.
On kind of where you're seeing the mix of the business go.
Yes, it's about in the past whatever 10 months.
Were there any kind of broad learnings that would make you rethink where you want to play like that.
That's assuming we still want to have the capacity come back on some of that foodservice business and some of the private label business.
But if it all didn't come back would that necessarily be a bad thing for flowers, just given what we've seen has happened with price index on margin.
Not necessarily no.
Look as we've said there is there are certainly pieces of our foodservice business that we really like.
And then there are some parts that are that are underperforming and we're working to get those up to up to snuff.
But I think the key learning from 2020 is the power of mix and Rob as we've talked about.
This was our strategy going into 2020, focusing on <unk> on brands and trying to get on a higher a higher mix of branded products in the portfolio, both organically and <unk>.
Future M&A deal.
2020, just really exaggerated that.
On a very meaningful way, but I think for us the most powerful thing it did throughout the organization was demonstrate that power of mix to everybody from me all the way down through the organization because.
We are older company, you've got we've got a lot of long tenured employees, there was a certain way of thinking here.
That kind of emphasize volume over value instead of on the other way around this really proved to everybody again for me to the independent distributor partners to the folks on the plants that mix matters and and you don't need all of that volume if you're if you're.
Yes, if youre mixes is positive.
Okay perfect. Thank you.
Your next question comes from Fraser Al Li with Deutsche Bank.
Hi, Good morning. Thank you. So I was wondering I guess, a little bit of from a follow up to the last question on <unk>.
But specifically on DTD and Canon Inc.
Neither of those are sort of more longer term growth drivers.
And I was wondering how you were thinking about those two brands relative to the rest of the branded portfolio like is there a scenario where maybe this year. Those two brands can continue to grow while you do see mixture version on the rest of the portfolio. So just more color on how you were thinking about the value.
Pieces of the branded portfolio on the CR.
Sure.
It Shouldnt come as surprise surprise that day.
<unk> and Canyon are obviously big.
Big.
Big beneficiary beneficiaries of our of our focused they do continue to grow at a rapid rate, obviously canyon's a lot smaller of being in a smaller category.
I'm happy to report <unk> is now over $800 million brand at retail.
And we just bought them back in 2015. So the growth has just been has been extraordinary but I'll say again.
<unk>.
Household penetration is half of nature sounds still.
So there is a tremendous amount of room to continue to grow that awareness and as we grow that awareness not only do we grow the dk rebrand with the product portfolio. We have today, but it also gives us a right to expand that product portfolio and to potentially even adjacent categories.
The runway for growth per daves is tremendous a similarly think that of canyon, though it is a smaller piece of the pie I think canyon was around $120 million at retail J D. This year.
So great growth from them too, but just on a smaller scale, but I think there is there is plenty of opportunity to continue to grow in the in the gluten free category as well.
Kenyans basically doubled its share.
The gluten free bread category until around <unk> 34, a share I think at last look and of course, Teekay, but you have a 68 share of the organic bread category. So.
We're in a.
A significant position of strength, so it's incumbent upon us to capitalize on that.
Yeah.
And.
I guess as it relates to M&A focus.
You seem pretty excited about the potential opportunities can you talk about what would get you. Most excited I know at one point you'd laid out certain categories that you would want to be and is there sort of brands that are maybe.
Similar to <unk>, but I'm wondering what type of opportunities would you be most excited about share.
Sure I can.
Obviously, we can't comment specifically on brands, but what I will say is we would be looking for things that look one fit strategically and culturally we're always bearing that in mind on obviously the numbers have to work. So you have to have to fit financially, but beyond that yes.
We are looking for.
For brands that are growing we are looking for brands that can be complementary to our existing portfolio and help us grow the overall business and obviously, what we're looking for assets that can be margin accretive even if they're not at the outset 10 day be and is there a good plan for them to be on the long term as they as they scale up in growth.
We have the ability to distribute both DSD and warehouse so were not just limited to DSD.
Even though that is the bulk of our business.
Warehouse models are certainly certainly no no issue for us it's really about does it fit financially does it fit operationally does it fit culturally and as a complement the brand portfolio.
Great and then just last question for Steve I know.
We've talked a little bit about cost inflation is there a way to quantify how you're thinking about the inflation in the back half sort of what's embedded in your guidance and are there any offsets that you are embedding beyond the.
Portfolio optimization savings.
I mean, we would not give specifics, but when you look at kind of what's happening within the wheat market, which primarily.
No impacts flow, which obviously is our largest input cost.
Where we're seeing the most inflation.
And historically when you've had inflation with commodities have you've seen some pricing power.
So we would we would hope to be able to mitigate if it continues to narrow.
On the trajectory, we're seeing now we would hope to be able to mitigate some of that through pricing.
Also as Ralph mentioned, we still have optimization efforts going on.
We're looking at up litigation, maybe on other offsets with input costs.
But the reality is it looks right now like most of that inflation has been on hold on the back half.
Okay. Thank you so much thank.
Thank you.
Your next question comes from Tim <unk> with Stephens.
Morning, Tim for the question guys. Good morning.
So I just wanted to touch on guidance here, just how are you thinking about the cadence of the return to normal how should we think about that impact on sales trends and then how should we think about the contribution of volume and price mix to your top line sales guidance.
Sure Let me, let me start with the cadence and I'll, let Steve talk to talk to the mix.
Yes look it's a hard thing to forecast as we all know.
But generally speaking.
What we've seen so far in the year has been fairly similar to what we saw in the fourth quarter, perhaps there have not been any major changes yet.
However, as you start to approach.
Round week 11, or so for us that's when the difficult comps start against the Kevin.
The initial surge in demand I think the real question is at what point do you get really broad vaccination rollout.
One thing Thats come out on the last week as Johnson <unk> Johnson on getting the.
Emergency order for their for their doses, which would take it up I think to around $600 million.
Doses, which would pretty much do it right.
But how fast is that how fast does that get rolled out and at what point do you kind of reach that herd immunity. The latest things on operating suggest Q3 Q4.
Herd immunity when you reach that.
But between now and then how quickly do things go back to normal and then the follow up question is what is normal.
Does the new normal look like as a full reversion.
Or is it something less than a full reversion. So we think that things should trend.
Around the same for the first quarter or so and then start to start to taper back on the.
And the three quarters that follow so that's that's pretty much what we've built into our into our guidance model.
But obviously that's.
Thats an educated.
<unk> forecast and not not set in stone, we will just have to we'll have to see how it shakes out I wish I wish I knew for sure, but frankly, none of US do so Steve do you want to talk to the next.
Yes.
Basically as Ralph said from a reversion of mix perspective.
Mix has been a strong contributor in 2020.
So as that starts to wane somewhat.
As we return to more normalcy.
And that will drive an impact overall margin.
What are the kind of the cadence of the guidance is as Ralph said the.
From a against that happened in Q2, and then again back half but.
Yes.
It's kind of a jump ball.
If we continue to see a lot of in home.
Eating continue that will be very very favorable to the mix, but if you see a lot of confidence from consumer to start.
About again and dining out and obviously that will drive.
Mixed reversion back to something pre 2020, yes.
Just to add one more thing to that I mean, the midpoint of our the midpoint of our guidance is above algorithm and as we've said even that midpoint is burdened by our digital investments that we're making this year. So obviously.
We're pretty confident in the plans that we have for the year out the bottom end of the guidance that wouldn't be just.
Our mix reversion.
<unk>.
We're being a little bit perhaps cautious coming out of the gate just because of the lack of visibility.
But what would get you to the bottom end of the guidance would be.
All of these factors coming together much higher promotional environment commodities on a pretty deep mixer version, but yes, the mid to the top of the guidance, obviously reflects our continuing confidence on strategy business.
Okay. That's helpful and I just wanted to touch on a bigger picture question here.
We are the biggest lessons that you've learned over the past year and do you think there is anything structural that you think might make flowers as stronger company coming out of the Covid environment.
Yeah, I do it's of.
Interesting question.
We've already done a lot of it I mean, we've as you know we've reorganized.
We created the Chief brand officer position, we've got a new innovation function and we have the transformation office now we've hired a new supply chain officer.
<unk> hired a new procurement all store. So I think we've done a lot of the organizational structure things that we need to do and I feel really good about the team that we have in place.
As I say all the time I think we've got the best team in the industry and I think with the changes that we've made were even stronger.
As I mentioned earlier I do think that this demonstration of the power mix in our business is more on the most powerful things has happened to the company over the last several years.
It's been a it's been a learning opportunity for the company, it's allowed us to change the mindset of R. R.
Not only the management team, but the broader organization that focusing on brands and following our portfolio strategy.
Is the right way to go for the long term and I think we can continue to build on that.
Alright, Thanks, guys I'll pass it along.
Your next question comes from Mitch Pinheiro with Stephens, Inc.
Our net.
Okay. One question just on.
On our two questions perhaps.
Store brands.
Does it reverse.
In 'twenty, one are we going to see store brands take share or.
Retailers.
I've learned a good lesson.
During the pandemic that private label just P value.
The category.
Yeah.
It will be interesting to watch how that unfolds, what I would say matches that private label was in in our category at least was in decline prior to the pandemic the pandemic did accelerate that.
But we were kind of seeing these trends even even prior to <unk>.
2020.
Yes.
The retailers if I were the CEO of a retailer I wouldn't want to give the consumer what they want.
And consumers are obviously looking for brands.
We're looking forward on the shelf the physical shelf theyre looking for it on the digital shelf and that's where our focus is so.
Again, I can't speak to what the retailers might might be thinking, but but if I was running one of them I wouldn't want to give our consumers what they are asking for.
Okay.
Second question is.
Sure.
You call on the higher promotion on where the potential for a higher promotional environment in the back cash.
Now we haven't seen it.
On why would it be a risk.
Good.
Especially in light of maybe higher commodity costs why would.
Is there something that you are anticipating or is it just calling out a typical risks for any packaged foods company.
Yes, I think it's more of the latter and certainly we've heard on the food companies talk about it some even talk about how they plan to be more promotional this year to keep the share of the gain through the pandemic. So I think it's just a watch out youre right, we havent seen it yet, but but it's just a risk that we have to take into account should things very quickly revert back to normal how much more promotional does.
The category over all get.
To retain that that share.
And to what extent do we have to participate on that.
Okay Thats all I have thank you.
Thank you Matt.
Your next question comes from Ryan Bell with consumer edge research.
Good morning, Ryan.
Good morning, everyone.
Probably not the core focus right now, but could you talk about.
Foodservice business and your expectations for the recovery over the course of the year.
Sure I think I think that foodservice recovery largely follows the question around.
What normalization looks like.
What extent, our restaurants opened back up New York, New York, starting to slowly open back up but at a very low occupancy level.
So it really depends on what that trajectory looks like.
Ryan the fast foods side of the business has performed pretty well actually I mean, it's been it's been up a little bit it's really still that broad line, you sit down and fast casual type business that remains under pressure.
If you look at the if you look at the fourth quarter again, excluding the 50 <unk> week foodservice non retail on other for us, but that includes the foodservice business primarily.
With slightly better.
But no no meaningful recovery yet.
So I think yes.
Yes.
If you were to pin me down on I would say you'd probably start to see some some maybe more meaningful recovery in the foodservice business towards the back half of the year as opposed to I think the front half will tend to be.
More on the site.
Thanks, that's helpful and on the innovation from is there anything.
So you would have in mind to help retain from consumers I mean, if youre spending more time at home.
It's easier to justify having a whole loaf bread.
Vs. If youre going to be having more time at the office.
What that would mean, maybe innovations such as like half of low.
Any emphasis behind that or anything else that maybe you learned on.
You might want to focus on more coming out of dependent.
Yes, it's a great question I don't want to be too specific for obvious reasons, but suffice it to say that we have a.
A pretty significant amount of innovation coming this year.
Our innovation last year contributed some $60 million to the top line. So we've been very pleased with those efforts I think yes.
The way that we've restructured and the resources, we put behind innovation will continue to deliver and hopefully at a faster rate going forward.
Okay. That's helpful and I think the last one from me could you talk about your expectations.
The labor market and workforce cost 10 2021.
Some of the frontline costs associated with Covid.
Does that just go away once.
You have the majority of the work force vaccinated.
Should we think about that.
I'm not sure that some of the cost and safety protocols are going to go away from a long time for a long time.
Despite everyone being vaccinated you've got these other variants that are going around there is probably going to be more of them. As we go down as we go down the road. So I personally think that we're going to be living with us in one way or another.
A long time.
What will help though.
Yes.
Let me frame it this way the biggest issue for us from a labor standpoint in 2020 was.
The number of people that were out either because they had contracted COVID-19 or because they had come in close contact and we were following our our safety protocols and obviously that that disrupts up operations and your efficiencies or lower I mean, despite our performance in 2020.
Had the plants been able to operate at the efficiency levels. They were capable of it would've been a lot it would have been even better significantly better.
But you just you just had you had so many people out so I am looking forward to that calming down as a matter of fact, we've already seen it called out our experience at flowers kind of follows the national trends. The case counts are coming down everything so things are already beginning to normalize we haven't really seen like pure wage inflation.
But it's been more of the resulting inefficiencies from folks being out.
Perfect. Thank you.
Good day.
Thank you you too.
I'm showing no further questions at this time I would now like to turn the conference back to Ryans Mcmiller for closing remarks.
Thank you very much Sidney just wanted to thank everybody for their interest in flowers and we look forward to speaking with you again next quarter take care.
Ladies and gentlemen, this does conclude today's conference call you may now disconnect and thank you for your participation.