Puratos strikes deal to acquire Dawn Foods
One of the biggest deals in the bakery ingredients sector this year is taking shape after Puratos confirmed plans to acquire US-based Dawn Foods
Cakes & pastries
British Pie Week meets Pi Day: The pies stealing the spotlight this March
Two pastry-themed celebrations are putting pies firmly on the global menu this month
National Snack Day: Inside the billion-dollar brands refusing to slow down
From Oreo’s $4bn global machine to Uncrustables’ rapid ascent, the snack aisle’s biggest names are banking billions and still investing like challengers
Baking NPD: Protein muffins, pistachio nostalgia and cookie culture
Smaller households, impulse occasions and better-for-you cues are driving a new wave of baking innovation
Is Gen Z rewriting the rules of value?
Financially stretched but digitally fluent, the world’s youngest adult consumers are forcing food and drink brands to explain themselves
Postcard from Aruba: Where the bread rises with the breeze
From pasteles to pan de coco, Aruba’s bakeries are mixing island pride with digital savvy and the world’s finally paying attention
Mondelēz charts next growth wave across North America, Europe and emerging markets
The company is tailoring its strategy by region, courting value‑seeking US shoppers, fixing European chocolate margins and using Oreo‑led biscuits and cakes to unlock runway across China, India, Brazil and Mexico
Automation’s promise falters as skills gap hits bakeries hard
Automation is reshaping bakery production, but new skills demands and training gaps are limiting the productivity gains manufacturers expected
Comfort isn’t enough anymore: Why nostalgia now needs a thrill
Comfort food now needs an edge
DGA sweetener warning sparks industry pushback
Dietary Guidelines pose a challenge for formulators around non-nutritive sweeteners
Pringles, Nakd and Haldirams make flavour the main event in 2026
From mystery heat and nostalgic fruit to saffron-soaked indulgence, the latest launches show brands using flavour to provoke, reassure and seduce shoppers.
Cocoa prices collapse following record highs
Cocoa prices plunge to two‑year low as surpluses reshape the market
Fiber sells – when shoppers can find it
Americans want more fiber but don’t know where to find it – opening the door for clearer claims, education and better-tasting products, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council
Valentine’s Day NPD from Cadbury, Paris Baguette and Wisconsin Cheese
Chocolate still anchors Valentine’s Day, but 2026’s launches show how brands are pushing the holiday further through format, experience and gifts that feel less predictable
Florida’s glyphosate bread test has bakers on edge
The US state’s decision to publish glyphosate residue results for supermarket bread has reopened questions around food safety, scientific context and how regulatory data is interpreted by consumers
3 flour brands are redefining how regenerative agriculture scales
By redesigning contracts, supply chains and product development, three flour brands show that scaling regenerative agriculture is as much institutional as it is agricultural
Mondelēz’s CoLab Tech accelerator shines light on the biggest stress points facing the global snack system
As the company reopens applications for its R&D-led accelerator, the focus areas highlight mounting pressure around climate resilience, packaging constraints and shifting consumer expectations
Scientists closer to solving sugar reduction’s taste problem
After years of compromise, sweetness without sacrifice may finally be within reach
A bakery & snacks survival guide for 2026
Top 10 TikTok trends shaping bakery and snacks in 2026
From pistachio-packed fillings to products engineered to break, pull and ooze on camera, TikTok is reshaping what indulgence and value look like in 2026
Diet Trends
Rethinking sweetness in an age of sugar skepticism
As shoppers scrutinize labels and headlines, brands are rethinking sweetness strategies to deliver lower sugar, clearer messaging and commercially viable reformulations
World’s biggest bakery companies: who’s really got the proof in 2026
Bakery looks like a steady, staple business, until you follow the money. In 2026, a small group of companies controls an outsized share of the world’s bread, buns and baked goods, and the distance between the leaders and the rest is still growing
Finsbury Food Group launches cake ‘bento boxes’
The baking manufacturer has rolled out a new, limited edition celebration cake offering that taps into the rising trend of bento cakes.
From jerky breakfasts to chocolate superfoods: The smarter snacking NPD
Protein is everywhere, but it’s showing up in warmer flavors, softer formats and more inclusive designs as brands rethink what ‘fuel’ really means
From kings’ cake to crunchy corn: Comfort snacks get a smarter glow-up for 2026
Indulgent treats aren’t being replaced – they’re being refined. This latest wave of NPD upgrades familiar formats with cleaner labels, global flavor cues and subtle functional gains
From mithai to mochi: The rise of the fusion-forward bakery trend
Heritage meets hustle as bakers turn cultural mashups into mainstream must-haves
General Mills says price cuts are working
Cutting prices on about two‑thirds of its North America retail lineup helped General Mills beat Q2 estimates and flatten volume declines
Meet the social media sensation dragging bakery into its hot, high-drama era
The Donut Daddy’s latest creation shows how pleasure, heat and high drama are reshaping the bakery landscape
Africa’s new appetite: Inside the rapid rise of convenience snacking
Africa’s booming youth population is transforming the bakery and snacks landscape, creating opportunities for brands rooted in local culture and convenience
Festive, fabulous and gone in a flash: The LTOs everyone should be chasing
This year’s festive one-offs range from a cult trifle to resurrected ‘80s snacks and a Christmas sandwich that thinks it’s royalty
The big December drop: Snack season starts now
From gingerbread nostalgia to chocolate trolleys and limited edition winter snacks, here’s what’s new this festive season
Smucker’s Sweet Baked Snacks take a hit as Hostess reset bites into Q2
The J.M. Smucker Co.’s latest results show a business broadly on track, but its Sweet Baked Snacks segment is clearly in the painful middle of a reset
Postcard from Sydney: Lamingtons, loaves & legends
Sydney’s bakeries aren’t just baking – they’re performing. From sky-high lamingtons to cult sourdough, this city’s pastry scene blends precision, play and viral energy in every bite
Baked into law: Why only Bimbo can sell a ‘donut’ in Spain
Spain’s Supreme Court has given Grupo Bimbo exclusive rights to the word ‘Donut’ – igniting debate over who owns the language of food
NPD: Feel-good snacking gets serious as brands go big on nostalgia, kindness & chaos
From colorless chips to collectible crisps and gooey skillet cookies, this season’s launches show how playful storytelling is reshaping what shoppers expect from a simple snack
Top food colour trends of 2026
Consumer desire for calm, wellness and vitality will affect colour trends in the coming year
Breaking the Christmas bog standard
Once the star of the Christmas table, the cranberry is stepping out of the bog and into bakery innovation – from upcycled seeds to tangy syrups – proving it’s anything but standard
Why Brits are ditching Christmas cake for panettone and stollen
The Great British fruitcake is losing its crown. Lighter, glossier European bakes are stealing the show – and the nation’s tastebuds – this Christmas
Christmas 2025: Sugar, spice & all things iced
From boozy puddings to glitter-dusted brownies, bakers are dialing up nostalgia, sparkle and flavor innovation to make this festive season the sweetest yet
Brewing loyalty: How coffee is powering bakery footfall
Coffee’s not just a pick-me-up anymore. It’s helping bakeries pull ahead in a slowing market
Canada’s bakers are done playing defense
The Baking Association of Canada’s new Executive Council isn’t just another talking shop – it’s a wake-up call for the nation’s $21.5bn bakery sector to stop firefighting and start leading
Halloween: The White House gets spooky, Pringles begins to glow and McVitie’s brings back Jaffaween
From the White House lawn to your local supermarket, brands are pulling out all the tricks this Halloween with glowing crisps, monster bakes and desserts to die for
UPF awareness rises but confusion reigns over what’s healthy, Non-GMO Project finds
Consumer concern about UPFs has surged, but understanding still lags far behind, according to new research from the Non-GMO Project
Pink pastries, prison bakes & purpose: October’s most meaningful bakery & snack launches
Producers are proving that good food can do good, too – turning patisserie counters pink, tackling loneliness and funding second chances through every bite
Postcard from Las Vegas: Bakeries are playing to win
In the city of jackpots and neon, the newest high rollers are made of butter, sugar and vanilla not poker chips
Diwali’s billion-dollar mithai boom goes global
Once an Indian household tradition, mithai (traditional confections) is now a global indulgence and brands like Haldiram’s are cashing in on Diwali’s sweet glow-up
From donuts to data: Dawn shows how to bake trends into growth
At IBIE 2025, Dawn Foods used a combination of donuts, data and demos to show operators how to turn consumer buzz into real-world results
From cake pops to circular economy: Upcycling gains ground in Africa
Africa’s food sector is turning to upcycling to cut waste, lower costs and build resilience amid climate and supply chain pressures
Ferrero chooses New York cupcake disruptor for spooky collab: ‘This is a pinch me moment’
For Melissa Ben-Ishay, teaming up with Ferrero is a Halloween treat. But the Baked by Melissa CEO knows collabs are more than fun – they’re fueling serious business growth
Alternative materials market strengthens as sustainability declines
As the need for alternatives becomes clearer, sustainability fades into the background
Christmas is shaping up to be a real cracker
It may be only September, but it’s never too soon to talk about Christmas. In 2025, festive innovation is set to deliver indulgence, hybrids and playful nostalgia.