Bakery professionals continue to roll with the punches. Challenges like labor shortages, rising costs, and ever-fluctuating consumer tastes aren’t going away, but the people who produce breads, cookies, sweet goods, and other baked goods continue showing innovation and resilience in dealing with those and other obstacles.
Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery shares insights on how the industry and its various product categories are faring—as well as a glimpse at the future—in its June 2024 digital issue and online coverage. This special State of the Industry: Bakery exclusive coverage offers expert opinions from leading producers in several key categories, with company representatives weighing in on everything from recent highs and lows in dollar and unit sales, to notable product innovations, to what the future might hold. Here are some of the articles featured in this digital edition:
Consumers are feeling the sting of inflation, but they still reach for bread when shopping for groceries. According to market experts and producers, shoppers continue showing interest in better-for-you options. Additionally, Hispanic breads have seen a notable increase in sales recently.
Who doesn’t enjoy a little treat every once in a while? The modest growth in this bakery category shows consumers still want a bit of indulgence now and then.
Americans remain slow to return to dining out with the same frequency as they did pre-pandemic. Still, the choices consumers are making in this category show they still seek the indulgence and quality associated with restaurant-quality items.
The sales of most bars subcategories were down or relatively flat. However, bars that promise consumers a balance of healthful ingredients and indulgent snacking experience seem to be selling more than other subcategories.
Doughnuts, pastries, muffins, and other such items continue to grab dollar share. This in-depth look at the bakery category dives into which types of products and brands are most attractive to shoppers and draw their spending dollars.
This category cooled a bit over the 12 months SFWB tracked in our report. However, consumers showed interest in various types of products, including better-for-you items and products featuring innovative ingredients and flavors.
