Dawn Foods raises the bakery bar with industry-leading non-sticky icing

The Pak Perfect Non-Sticky Icing follows the successful launch of the Donut Glaze,​​ sharing the functionalities of improving the appeal of packaged goods, guaranteeing a shelf life of at least five days, being freezable and thaw stable.

The fat-free icing also differs significantly from traditional fat-based icings in caloric value and can be applied on any bakery item that has high water activity, like cinnamon rolls and eclairs.

The results are numerous, including significant waste reduction, appeal to a wider consumer market and additional sales opportunities.

“We are very proud to extend our Non-Sticky range, enabling our customers to create more bakery applications with a clean and non-sticky appeal in pack,”​ said Christopher Ries, category marketing manager, Wet Ingredients, for Dawn Foods, Europe & AMEAP.

“The additional feature of the product being fat free is a great benefit for bakery manufacturers looking to improve the nutritional profiles of their bakery items with icing, while improving the eating experience (no fatty mouthfeel) for the consumer.”​

What's shaping the European bakery landscape in 2023?

Dawn Foods is a family-owned company that has been creating bakery ingredients and products since 1920. It also provides market insights to help customers achieve their aspirations.

The company's 2023 Global Bakery Trends report pinpointed four key trends that are shaping the EU bakery environment:

Technology transformation

The past three years have highlighted the importance of digitalisation. Successful businesses no long only have a physical presence, they have adopted a virtual persona, too.

From QR codes to social sharing, today’s advanced tech is defining how consumers choose, receive and consume their favourite foods, both in and out of home,

Online ordering and delivery are here to stay - and the bakery sector is fully embracing this concept. However, there has long been an issue with the sticky icing catching on the packaging, resulting in a messy, unsellable product.

According to the report, social media influences the likelihood to purchase a sweet bakery item for 50% of Brits, 56% of Spaniards and 49% of Germans.

Enter Joerg Thomas, application chef, DACH, Dawn Foods, who created a peanut caramel waffle (recipe provided in the report), with visual appeal at its heart.

“In today’s social media-driven, highly visual world, we are constantly interacting with food only through sight. I chose the waffle as it is the perfect base to allow bakers produce colourful, fun topping creations,”​ said Thomas.

The QR Code Red Velvet Cupcakes (again, recipe in the report) from Pedro Galvez, technical account manager, Iberia, are very technically-driven.

“I chose to utilise QR codes for this recipe as they can add a new element to the consumers eating experience. QR codes are very versatile and can be used for several applications including sharing more information about the product, directing the customer to your website, entering competitions and much more,”​ said Galvez.

Experience exploration

Today’s consumers - especially younger generations - want to explore and are looking for treats that deliver adventurous tastes and sensory experiences.

• 83% of Europeans like sweet baked goods that remind them of their childhood
• 3 out of 4 enjoy treats that put a spin on a traditional item

This means there is a wide-open opportunity for bakers to let their imaginations loose by intensifying the flavours, colours and textures.

“We are seeing that adventure is back on the menu as people explore and embrace international flavours and unexpected blends in 2023,” ​said Christopher Ries, category marketing manager, Wet, EU & AMEAP.

“At the same time, it is important not to forget that a subset of consumers are still drawn to the comfort of familiar, nostalgic, mood-boosting tastes as well as flavours strongly linked to health and wellness.”​

Daily delights

The consumer’s focus on health has long been a trend, but thanks to the pandemic, has spun into overdrive, which is obviously changing their perceptions of sweet goods.

Consumers are more aware of their mental and emotional health and see indulging as an enjoyable and necessary part of staying balanced, happy, and productive.

Enjoying something sweet every day has gone from ‘something I feel guilty about’ to ‘something that makes me feel good.

Mindfulness matters

Today’s conscious consumers are highly aware of how their food choices affect their personal health, their community and their planet. As a result, there’s a clear shift towards seeking out sustainable options - even when it comes to sweet treats.

And it’s an opportunity no baker can afford to ignore:

• 57% of Europeans are willing to try more sweet baked goods with better-for-you claims
• 72% eat local as much as possible
• 62% are willing to pay more for these treats

“Sweet bakery will always be strongly connected to indulgence … [but] our products are designed to help our customers create health-conscious, yet still deliciously tasting, indulgent and appealing sweet baked goods: ranging from ingredient solutions to reduce sugar, salt & fat or to veganise the sweet bakery offer,”​ said Majella de Bruijn, VP of Marketing and R&D, Europe & AMEAP.

“Responsible consumption in sweet bakery is about finding the balance and offering choice, and we will continue to further broaden our Better-for-You offering to improve overall wellbeing and reduce our environmental impact.”​

Here, Edward Mateo, application specialist, APAC, created a vegan Chocolate Pistachio Opera Cake (recipe provided in the report).

“Going vegan is predicted to be one of the biggest food trends in the coming years. I chose Opera Cake because of its versatility and one my favourite sweet bakes.​

“My advice to bakers is to have fun and be creative with your flavour choice. While I have chosen chocolate and pistachio, feel free to explore different flavour combinations that work with the season and trends of today.”​