for premium snacks, especially those tied to sustainability and ethical sourcing,


NPD challenges Moving on to the issue of product development challenges facing bakeries, Ronald believes that these are multifaceted – reflecting economic, environmental, and consumer-driven factors. He highlighted the following: Cost management: Bakeries are grappling with rising costs for ingredients, energy, and labour. These financial pressures, coupled with inflation, make it challenging to develop new products while maintaining profitability. Reformulating recipes to include more stable and cost-effective ingredients is a common strategy being explored.


Consumer demand for health and transparency: The growing demand for clean-label products – those free from artificial additives and aligned with health trends like reduced sugar, gluten-free, and better gut health – is a significant driver of innovation. However, meeting these demands without compromising taste or shelf life remains a challenge.


Sustainability: With increased awareness of environmental issues, bakeries are under pressure to adopt sustainable practices. This includes reducing food waste, sourcing ethical ingredients,


and embracing


upcycling trends, such as repurposing leftover bread into new products. Workforce


challenges: Skilled labour


with ingredient suppliers to align with current market dynamics.


Short ingredients lists Ellie van der Burg, Bakery Marketing Manager at


Many bakeries are looking to reformulate to achieve a better Nutri-Score rating.


shortages are impacting the industry globally, making it difficult to sustain artisanal quality while scaling up innovation. Attracting and training the next generation of bakers is has become essential to maintain expertise and inspire creativity. Rapidly changing trends: Staying ahead of evolving consumer preferences, such as premiumisation and the push for convenience, requires agile and well-resourced R&D efforts. Many bakeries are finding it difficult to balance these priorities with the need for operational efficiency.


Supply chain disruptions: Ongoing challenges in global supply chains, exacerbated by conflicts and geopolitical issues, continue to delay access to raw materials, affecting the timely development and launch of new products. Bakeries need to find a way to innovate within these constraints. One solution, is to employ technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) for trend analysis, and fostering partnerships


Cargill, believes that maintaining the balance between nutrition and indulgence is a primary challenge facing bakeries today. “Reformulating products to reduce sugars, salt, or fat without sacrificing taste, texture, or shelf life is a complex task, given these ingredients’ functional roles. In addition, consumers are also demanding short, nature derived ingredient lists, while replacements often require longer formulations. Meeting the rise of both premium indulgence and guilt-free trends, Cargill’s application experts have proven that an improved Nutri-Score rating for bakery goods can be achieved through the use of Cargill’s portfolio of ingredients and with the help of its technical expertise. Cargill has, for example, reformulated a brownie with reduced sugars, lower sodium and higher fibre content that resulted in three prototypes with improved Nutri-Score ratings of C, B and even A. “Brownie applications are not traditionally associated with nutritional indulgence and typically have Nutri-Score rankings of D or E. However, Cargill aims to change this dynamic by offering holistic solutions to address the growing need for improved nutritional profiles in cake applications without compromising on taste and texture,” says Ellie.


Blurred lines We leave the last word to Quentin, who pointed out that the line between sweet and savoury snacks is becoming increasingly blurred following the growth in 2024 of swicy flavoured snacks. This shift towards ‘sweet and spicy’ flavour combinations is being driven by consumers’ desire for diverse, novel flavour experiences. “Innovations like sweet potato brownies or savoury granola bars combine health-conscious ingredients with unexpected flavours and textures,” he says. “In addition, there is also growing demand for contrasting mouthfeels, such as combining crispy or aerated textures in traditionally sweet products. This crossover caters to consumers seeking indulgence without monotony, making snacking both functional and emotionally satisfying.”


bakeryproduction.co.uk Kennedy’s Bakery Production December/January 2024/25 27


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