PIZZA & FLATBREAD
BUT MAKING IT EXCITING TOO
Real KEEPING IT
Suzanne Callander reports on some of the key pizza and flatbread trends for 2026 and looks at the most exciting ingredient innovations for this sector.
T
he pizza and flatbread category is evolving rapidly – driven predominantly by consumer demand for convenience,
consistency and high-quality, along with new, exciting eating experiences. Bakery manufacturers producing pizza and flatbread products are experiencing a strong demand for comfort,
familiarity
and indulgence. Consumers also want products that feel more authentic, more differentiated and also better for them. The result is a category where premiumisation, health-led reformulation and global flavour exploration are now sitting side-by-side rather than competing with one another.
Cold comfort Frozen and partially baked formats, such as par-bake and frozen pizza doughs are expanding to offer flexibility while still meeting consumer expectations for fresh- baked quality, taste and eating experience. These formats, however, can pose technical
12 • KENNEDY’S BAKERY PRODUCTION • APRIL/MAY 2026
challenges relating to maintaining dough performance, texture and shelf life throughout processing, storage and reheating. When doughs or finished baked products are frozen and then thawed, water migration and controlling ice crystal formation can cause detrimental changes such as syneresis (water weeping), texture breakdown or early staling. Texture also remains a key focus.
Pizza manufacturers need to balance crust characteristics, from crispness to chew, while working with complex, high- hydration, and long-fermentation formats. These applications are particularly vulnerable to water migration and ice crystal damage. “If not properly managed, this can compromise the crust and crumb structure, leading to dryness, toughness, or sogginess upon thawing,” warned Maria Brandt, Global Product Director, Enzymes at Kerry. “Ingredient innovation is central to addressing these challenges, with the
most exciting advancements found in the synergistic use of hydrocolloids and advanced enzyme technologies,” she said. By binding water and stabilising the dough matrix, hydrocolloids – including celluloses and gums like guar, xanthan, and acacia – help retain moisture and control ice-crystal formation. This results in improved volume, a softer crumb, and minimised texture degradation after thawing. Working in tandem with these stabilisers, enzyme technology can improve dough relaxation, reduce shrinkage, support gas retention, and maintain structure and flexibility over time. Furthermore, it can help extend shelf life by slowing starch retrogradation and enable cleaner-label formulations through the reduction or replacement of emulsifiers. “Dough relaxing enzymes can help
shorten mixing times, improve dough handling in the mixer, reduce wastage, and enhance overall process efficiency. Furthermore, synergistic enzyme-
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
