Key takeaways:
- Comfort foods are still driving bakery and snack NPD, but they’re being quietly refined with better ingredients, smarter formulation and more intentional indulgence rather than radical reinvention.
- Protein, fiber and cleaner labels are showing up in familiar formats, making functional benefits feel incidental, not instructional.
- Global flavor cues and heritage formats are helping brands refresh everyday products while keeping them recognizable, reassuring and easy to slot into real eating habits.
January usually brings a lot of treats that feel like they’re trying to behave. This set of launches doesn’t. It’s noticeably more relaxed about what people actually want to eat.
Nothing here is especially radical. These are familiar formats – cake, spreads, cereal, bars, crunchy snacks – with just enough tweaking to feel current. Cleaner ingredient decks. A bit more protein or fiber. Flavor choices that feel intentional rather than trendy for the sake of it.
Comfort food hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s just being handled with more care.
A seasonal cake that still knows exactly what it’s for
In the UK and parts of Europe, Galette des Rois survives because it hasn’t been overthought. Paul Bakery’s version sticks to the original brief: crisp, all-butter puff pastry, a thick layer of almond frangipane, baked until properly golden.
The fève hidden inside still matters. It slows things down, turns the cake into something that’s shared and argued over rather than eaten on the move.
Available from Paul stores from £21.95.
A spread that avoids jam altogether
Messyface doesn’t try to fix jam. It simply goes around it.
Inspired by the Mediterranean pairing of tahini and grape molasses, the spread blends just those two ingredients into something smooth, spoonable and naturally sweet.
Founder, Alex Epstein first discovered Tahin Pekmez in a small Turkish deli in The Netherlands and was instantly hooked. “I loved the simple transparency of the recipe, the fact this was a fiber-rich product with authentic World cuisine heritage that offered natural fruit sweetness without resorting to any refined sugars, palm oil or synthetic stabilizers, sweeteners and thickeners,” he explains.
The spreads are positioned for toast, porridge, smoothies and baking, launching in the UK at around £4.50 for a 300ml jar.
Corn that makes texture the main event
Crunch Corn feels like a sideways step for Popcorn Kitchen rather than a leap. The UK brand sticks with 100g sharing bags of corn, but swaps popped kernels for oversized Peruvian choclo, roasted until the crunch does most of the talking.
Sea Salt, Salt & Vinegar and Spicy Chilli keep the flavors familiar. Fiber-rich and HFSS-compliant, the snack lands somewhere between crisps and nuts without pretending to replace either.
“We cooked up Crunch Corn because we wanted to create a more complete savory treat for those underwhelmed by potato crisps and frustrated by spiraling costs of allergy-risking nuts and seeds,” said founder Louise Monk.
A citrus flavor that doesn’t overpower the format
Siggi’s Tropical Yuzu skyr introduces sharper citrus without tipping into novelty. Yuzu brings the edge, mango and pineapple soften it.
Each pot delivers 15g of protein and 11g of sugar, made with 1.5% milkfat and no artificial flavors or sweeteners. It still reads as skyr first, flavor second. The product joins Siggi’s small-batch seasonal lineup in the US.
A protein bar that doesn’t pretend it isn’t dessert
Junkless has launched a Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownie that looks and eats like a treat – brownie-style center, crunchy peanuts, peanut butter coating.
Underneath that, though, is the good stuff: 15g of protein, 2g of sugar, high fiber, no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sugar alcohols.
The bar currently sells in the US at $29.99 for a 12-pack from Junkless online, with broader online distribution planned.
Gluten-free bakery that doesn’t announce itself
Crafted by award-winning chefs and military veterans, Éban’s Bakehouse focuses less on what’s missing and more on how bakery behaves. The US brand uses a blend of oat, tapioca, brown rice and sorghum is used to replicate conventional texture.
The range includes a cup-for-cup all-purpose flour, sandwich breads, buns, rolls and cookies including Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal: alll designed to make it easy to stay on track with New Year wellness goals.
“People shouldn’t feel singled out or deprived because they choose to eat gluten-free,” said founder Michael Braddock. “Our goal was to create baked goods that everyone at the table can enjoy, without anyone knowing the difference.”
Pricing varies by product across US retail and online.
Dark chocolate quietly shifting cereal out of breakfast
Reese’s Puffs Dark Chocolate is the brand’s first move away from milk chocolate since 1994. The darker cocoa signals a different eating occasion.
“We’ve seen how much people enjoy Reese’s Puffs outside the morning routine, especially late night,” said Megan Brooks, business unit director at General Mills.
The flavor is rolling out across US retailers.
Nutrition bars and hydration sticks without gym cues
Scottish-founded Vybey is expanding across the UK and Europe with plant-based protein bars and hydration sticks framed around complete nutrition, not performance.
The 80g bars deliver 20g of protein and come in Chocolate Brownie, Raspberry White Chocolate and Mint Chocolate variants. Hydration sticks are available in Watermelon, Lemon & Lime and Tropical.
Distribution spans UK independents, online and selected high-street outlets.
Familiar snacks, louder seasoning
For 2026, Goldfish is adding Seasoned Pretzels in Honey Mustard and Hot Buffalo, packed in 8oz sharing bags to its line-up. They are being launched alongside Zesty Ranch crackers and limited edition Toy Story Cheddar shapes.
“As we head into 2026, we’re bringing new flavors and formats for the whole family in ways that only Goldfish can,” said senior director Mike Fanelli. “From Seasoned Pretzels to our Toy Story collaboration and Zesty Ranch offering, we’re introducing craveable flavors and playful experiences that are sure to delight snackers of all ages.”
Product prices start at $3.69.
