28 Oct 2024
Explore the top bakery trends for 2025 with Taste Tomorrow’s insights — essential for every bakery expert. Embrace locally sourced ingredients, a trend that champions regional produce and supports local farmers. Cater to health-conscious consumers with gut-friendly options, offering delicious baked goods that are kind to the digestive system. Keep riding the wave of the ever-popular sourdough bread, and continue to charm customers with the enduring appeal of beloved classic breads and pastries.
Using smart AI to look at what bakery shoppers like, Taste Tomorrow gives you a clear view of what’s coming. These aren’t just guesses; they’re solid tips to help you make bakery goods that people will want tomorrow. With Taste Tomorrow, you’re ready for what’s next in the world of baking.
A healthy gut is essential for your overall physical and mental well-being, a fact widely recognized among consumers thanks to the popular 2024 Netflix documentary ‘Hack Your Health’ and the TikTok videos of gut health influencers such as The Stomach Doc. Consumers are adapting their diets according to this newfound knowledge, ensuring stable growth for the gut health trend. In China and Portuguese-speaking countries the trend is predicted to spike with growth rates of 8% to 9% over 2025, according to the Taste Tomorrow AI-powered research, data that is supported by the global consumer survey.
Consumers who want to eat their way to a healthy digestive system opt for high-fiber ingredients and foods enriched with prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics. That is good news for the bakery industry, where there are plenty of gut-friendly options available in the shape of whole grain, rich-in-fiber and high-in-fiber bakery products, and even sourdough-enriched breads. Brands that guide consumers through the territory of gut health will have a major advantage over the competition. Helping health-oriented consumers make the right decisions – for instance, by explaining probiotics vs prebiotics or adding gut health claims on-pack – sets you apart and builds trust.
Individuals who prioritize gut health typically adopt a holistic health approach, recognizing that gut-friendly foods contribute positively to both physical and mental well-being. To appeal to these health-conscious consumers, promote the dual benefits of gut-friendly baked goods. Ingredients known for their multifaceted health benefits are fiber and wholegrain, but also cacao nibs, flaxseeds, coconut flour and spices such as turmeric.
Consumers like to keep things close to home. Baked treats crafted with locally-sourced ingredients are not only seen as fresher but also as healthier and more delicious. Plus, when bought from a local entrepreneur, shoppers get the added benefit of supporting their community. No wonder people are choosing bread made with locally-sourced ingredients all throughout the world. According to Taste Tomorrow research, in 2025, the local authenticity trend is predicted to spike in Chinese (+40%), English (+32%) and German-speaking regions (+27%). Spanish and Portuguese language areas will also see steady growth.
Bakeries such as the Australian Miller + Baker will benefit from this growing demand for locally-made baked goods. This artisanal sourdough bakery stands out by making its breads and pastries with flour freshly milled on-site. They source all their grains from Western Australian farmers who are committed to sustainable farming practices. Miller + Baker is open about its sources, ensuring customers know exactly where their high-quality ingredients originate. For example, the hard wheat flour used in their loaves is proudly supplied by the Haggerty Family from Mollerin.
This trend is not just about local ingredients but also about embracing local flavors and formats with cultural significance. From traditional Chinese mooncakes to German pretzels, consumers are increasingly drawn to baked goods that reflect their cultural heritage and local culinary traditions. This adds a layer of authenticity and emotional connection.
This local authenticity trend is a natural partner to the movement of regenerative agriculture. Both prioritize the origin of ingredients as a top concern. If you wish to benefit from this trend, be sure to highlight the origin of your ingredients through on-pack claims, in marketing campaigns and in direct communication. Storytelling is indispensable to capture consumer hearts when it comes to the local authenticity trend.
It looks great, tastes amazing and it offers health benefits. No wonder the sourdough hype shows no signs of slowing down. It remains the fastest-growing trend in the bakery industry, with growing interest in the English (+7%), Chinese (+14%) and French (+40%)-speaking world. Whether it’s pizza, bagels, toast or muffins – if it’s made with sourdough it will fly off the shelves.
Our advice? Ride the sourdough wave and experiment with the fermented dough any way you can. Try using sourdough for applications besides traditional bread or mixing the classic sourdough flavor with other (healthy) ingredients. Why not try a dark chocolate sourdough brioche? Or mix in some kimchi for an extra probiotic gut health boost? Consumers value the sensory appeal of sourdough and the distinctive flavor and texture will premiumize any application you can come up with. The Hong Kong based Alive Bakery implements this very well, they offer a sourdough cinnamon roll, fig & walnut sourdough loaf and even red date sourdough scones.
Embracing classic bakery favorites is a reliable way to attract customers. These trusted products continue to delight consumers in 2024, and we forecast they will enjoy the most substantial growth in 2025 worldwide. Bakery craftsmanship, timeless formats and traditional baking techniques are most valued in French, Chinese, English, German and Portuguese-speaking markets. According to our in-depth data analysis at Taste Tomorrow, the conversation surrounding bakery classics is expected to increase by 17% to 31% over 2025.
New York Magazine has affirmed that the enthusiasm for high-quality bakeries isn’t fading anytime soon. “New York will never get tired of croissants, as long as there’s a line to buy them”, they write. New bakeries open every week and manage to sell out on their first day without any large marketing campaigns. Classic laminated pastries such as the croissant, pain aux chocolat and kouign amann continue to captivate people’s palate.
Those classic baked goods offer comfort and are an easily attainable form of luxury. Lean into this consumer preference by highlighting the tried-and-true nature of your classic recipes. Introduce a ‘classics collection’ that highlights the most beloved evergreens and focus on the authenticity and craftsmanship of your products. Opt for premium ingredients such as single-origin chocolate and heritage grains to further enlarge the authenticity and superior taste of your classic baked goods. Consumers will love it.
For over a decade, Taste Tomorrow has empowered professionals in the bakery, patisserie, and chocolate industries by anticipating future cravings through global in-depth consumer research. To make these 2025 trend predictions, we analyze online consumer data using advanced semantic AI technology. We monitor online searches and conversations about bread, pastries, cakes, and chocolate products in seven different languages and in over 50 markets. This data is then combined with insights from the largest global consumer survey in the industry, providing a comprehensive global perspective on the current and future state of the food industry.
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