Consumers demand freshness, appreciate the craftsmanship and continue to seek comfort from the traditional authentic recipes.
Here are the biggest developments in consumer perceptions and demands that will impact the bakery industry next year:
1. Trust and craftsmanship
Traditional artisanal products are growing ever more popular. Classics are the number one topic on baked goods online. The Taste Tomorrow always-on trend radar of June 2022 found that consumers seek comfort and indulgence through products that pay homage to traditional or authentic recipes. While 60% of consumers are looking for new experiences, 67% prefer some familiar element, classics with a twist. Therefore, innovation is welcome, but it needs to build upon a strong tradition of artisanal craftsmanship, experience and knowledge to be embraced by consumers.
2. The taste of sourdough
Stemming from the previous trend, sourdough hits that sweet spot between innovation and traditional craftsmanship. From a lockdown past-time favourite to an established and well-honed craft, sourdough’s trajectory has developed greatly in recent years and is forecasted to grow in 2023. Mainstream brands are adopting sourdough for their products and consumers continue to look for sourdough options beyond bread, think sourdough croissants, brioche, muffins, bagels, pantone, cuffing and other hybrids. What is the main driver of this trend? Without a doubt, it’s the taste of sourdough.
How about trying to bake some sourdough croissants, the most established new sourdough application? Here is a simple recipe for you.
3. Freshness
Consumers expect fresh bread. All day, every day. The ‘Fresh on demand’ trend is about products that consumers bake themselves, either from frozen, in order to heat up and cook properly. It offers convenience and the joy of having fresh bakery products at any time. Typical examples of this trend include croissants, pizzas, garlic bread and more. These kinds of products make life easier for consumers, who are able to speed up their cooking process by outsourcing much of the preparation stage to large scale manufacturers or artisans next door, while enabling consumers to take control over the baking process and get the freshness aspect to its maximum.
The freshness of baked products remains incredibly important to consumers who in 2022 shop online more than they did before the pandemic (which is 58% of global consumers). To be attractive to online consumers, bakery products need to also look attractive, so extra attention to packaging and appearance should drive online sales with 59% of consumers agreeing that a great appearance enhances the perception of taste.
