Bakery Products

The baked goods industry, more than any other food sector for millennia, operates at the intersection of art, craft, innovation and tradition. And each of these dimensions is under massive pressure to change in the coming years. On the one hand, consumers' aesthetic expectations are changing. The visual appeal and "creative quality" of baked goods are rapidly gaining in importance, as is creativity. The staging of baked goods meets the "Craft Foods" trend and leads to a significant upgrading and differentiation of taste and texture patterns, shapes and production methods. This is also accompanied by consumers increasingly turning away from industrially produced baked goods and a growing demand for high-quality, traditional methods, old grain varieties and recipes. The framework for this development is a growing sensitivity to the biological purity of production, the absence of chemical freshness preservatives, and a transparent production chain that is as local as possible and ecologically and socially sustainable. In addition to the clean label orientation, baked goods should also increasingly contribute to individual health management and enable health-conscious enjoyment - through health-promoting ingredients such as fiber, whole grains, vitamins and proteins and the reduction of highly processed white flour, gluten, industrially produced fats and sugar.

At the same time, consumption and purchasing patterns of baked goods are also changing. Smart, sustainable and hygienic packaging, attractive snack formats, and high-quality and innovative baked and frozen products are experiencing increasing demand - and are increasingly being purchased through online channels. These developments are creating new opportunities for the baked goods industry. However, they also lead to a complex need for adaptation, which must be met strategically, operationally and technologically.