To enhance appeal, brands are focusing on delivering a natural and authentic taste while minimising


synthetic flavours. A cleaner


approach is gaining attention, indicated by the 24% of plant-based bakery launches highlighting no additives or preservatives claims. Additionally, with more than 1 in 5 consumers globally considering bakery as their preferred protein source, brands are increasingly incorporating plant proteins to meet this demand.


What’s next?


Quality remains the top priority for consumers globally,


Gut Health Trends


‘Gut Health: Flourish from Within’ highlights the growing awareness of the microbiome, creating a space for ingredients like fiber and probiotics. Digestive/gut health is the top health aspect mostly driving the purchase of functional food and beverages.


Bakery


market trends show that there has been a 22% growth of new bakery launches with a digestive/gut health claim over the past year. Ingredients like fiber, vitamin D, and probiotics are leading innovations in the bakery market trends.


Gut health innovations are expanding across various bakery subcategories. Bread and bread products highlight digestive support, while sweet biscuits and cookies promote fiber for good digestion. Savory biscuits and crackers emphasise fibre’s role in digestion, and cakes—pastries and sweet goods increasingly feature digestive health claims. Among all subcategories, cakes—pastries and sweet goods display the highest growth in new launches with digestive/gut health claims.


Bakery tradition trends This food trend, ‘Food Culture: Tradition Reinvented,’ reflects consumers’ desire to rediscover the flavours of their culinary heritage and embrace authenticity and tradition. Nearly half of consumers globally consider food that expresses their heritage and diversity as important values in their diet. Made with local ingredients, familiar flavour, and traditional cooking techniques are the most important aspects. Bakery brands are tapping into this trend by blending nostalgia with innovation. There has been a 14% rise in new bakery launches with traditional claims in the past year. As 42% of consumers show a strong preference for authentic bread over modern alternatives.


bakeryproduction.co.uk driving brands to


Brands like Vainol’s Three Milks Traditional Sponge Cake and Bettergoods Apple Cinnamon Empanadas highlight tradition to


engage consumers comforting flavours.


Plant based trends This ‘Plant Based: Rethinking Plants’ food trend shows that the intense buzz of plant- based alternatives has quieted, and consumers are rerouting towards natural pursuits to plants in real and recognisable form. Consumers globally seek plant-based bakery products for their natural and healthy qualities, driving 21% of new bakery launches to feature plant-based claims over the past year. Cakes, pastries and sweet goods, and sweet snacks are the key areas of interest, with taste being the primary challenge for brands in this space.


seeking familiar,


highlight premium ingredients in product descriptions and promotions to attract attention. This focus on premium quality appeals to diverse consumer markets by offering unique health benefits. At the same time, indulgent experiences are in high demand, with TikTok and Instagram shaping consumer preferences. Brands can tap into social media trends for inspiration for creating bold and innovative treats that captivate consumers. Health remains a key driver, with 28% of consumers seeking wholegrains for gut health. Functional bakery products that balance indulgence with digestive wellness are gaining traction, opening opportunities for brands to blend both aspects. Similarly, traditional flavours in bread and sweet bakery appeal to consumers, especially when sharing a snack with family and friends. Highlighting homemade and traditional claims is likely to help brands to connect with nostalgia while modernising heritage- inspired offerings. Protein in bakery is also on the rise, with


more than 1 in 5 consumers prioritising it as their preferred protein source. Pea and fava bean protein are expanding opportunities in the plant-based bakery market. Brands that combine indulgence,


health, and


authenticity are likely to shape the future of the global bakery trends.


Several dessert mashups of hybrid baked goods are growing in the bakery trends, such as cruffins


(croissant and muffin), crookies (croissant and cookie), cronuts (croissant and doughnut), and biskies (biscuit and cookie and cake)”


Kennedy’s Bakery Production February/March 2025 31


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