SWEET AND SAVOURY SNACKING INNOVATIONS


shifts, bakery brands are uniquely positioned to bridge health and hedonism by elevating traditional baked formats with contemporary sensibilities. From a sensory perspective, texture


has surged as a criterion of delight almost on par with flavour. Industry research suggests that more than seven in ten consumers consider mouthfeel a decisive factor in enjoyment, prompting bakers to rethink contrast — crisp versus creamy, soft versus snappy — as a core element of product appeal rather than a secondary trait. This sensory depth resonates especially with younger demographics, who treat snacking as an experiential moment deserving of both emotional and social currency. At the same time, global


taste


exploration continues to accelerate. Asian, Latin American and other regional flavour influences now routinely appear in mainstream bakery launches, answering a demand for culinary authenticity and adventurous profiles that go beyond salt-sweet binaries to include tangy, fermented, spice-forward, and unexpected flavour pairings. These trends align with broader gastronomic movements documented by consumer insight platforms, where data shows unconventional flavour profiles — from chili-infused chocolate to wasabi-tinged sweets — gaining traction through digital discourse and real-world trials. In this environment, sweet and savoury snacking innovation has become a strategic imperative for bakery brands aiming to remain culturally relevant, commercially resilient and creatively expressive. As recent product launches demonstrate, those that marry curiosity with craft, and cultural insight with sensory satisfaction, are the ones celebrating success in the snacking market.


Reinvention and novelty Looking at some of the key new product developments of last year, what emerges is not a scattergun approach to novelty, but a deliberate change of familiar formats


to meet modern


expectations. Few brands illustrate this more clearly than Oreo. By reintroducing Cakesters in a Golden Oreo guise, the brand leans into softness at a time when consumers are gravitating toward comforting, cake-like textures that sit somewhere between indulgent treat


SNACKING, INCREASINGLY, IS ABOUT MOOD RATHER THAN MEALTIME — AND BAKERY


FLAVOURS ARE PROVING TO BE A POWERFUL EMOTIONAL SHORTHAND


and everyday snack. At the same time, products such as Oreo Loaded and Irish Crème Thins signal a maturation of the brand’s audience, using textural inclusions and flavour sophistication to move the cookie beyond its childhood associations. Rather than asking consumers to eat Oreos differently, the brand is meeting them where they already snack: at desks, between meals, or on the move, reframing the cookie as a flexible, multi-occasion product. Nostalgia, too, continues to play a


defining role — though in more nuanced ways than simple throwbacks. Quinn’s


snacking


DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025/26 • KENNEDY’S BAKERY PRODUCTION • 29


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