Pushing Boundaries with Baked Goods

No other food product category sparks joy quite like the baked good category does. Baked goods are beloved for the nostalgia they evoke, their association with celebrations, their variety, and the way they allow consumers to treat themselves and indulge. With consumers growing increasingly adventurous – and increasingly bored with existing options – now is the perfect time to innovate within the baked good space. Look beyond classic and familiar flavors to create baked goods that are anything but boring. When it comes to flavor innovation, there’s no shortage of inspiration for creative, craveable baked good products.

International Inspiration

Consumers have been using food to expand their horizons and explore faraway places from the comfort of their homes. Their desire to experience the foods and flavors of other cultures has inevitably driven many recent foods trends, as consumers are pushing brands to innovate with global flavors and ingredients. The baked good category is ideally suited for international inspiration. Popular baked goods and desserts from around the world can serve as flavor inspiration for everything from bread and bagels to donuts and danishes.

Another option? Prominently feature international spice blends in baked good products to delight exceptionally adventurous consumers. Global spice blends like Egyptian dukkah, Middle Eastern Za’atar, and Chinese 5 Spice have been picking up steam in foodservice and gaining more recognition among consumers. Not only are these spice blends becoming more familiar to a wider consumer base, but they also bring some delicious global flair to favorite baked good products. Spice blends are also trending for their potential health benefits, making them especially appealing to consumers that are seeking out ways to incorporate more spice in their diets. Read more about international flavor inspiration in our newest white paper.

Emphasizing Health and Wellness

In recent years, consumers have been focused on investing in their health and well-being by purchasing foods that support their wellness goals. Although baked goods are oftentimes perceived as indulgent, there are numerous opportunities for baked good manufacturers to spotlight healthy and better-for-you ingredients within their products. Veggie and fruit forward flavors and products are sure to appeal to health-conscious consumers who are looking for some balance in their diets. These consumers still want to treat themselves, but don’t want to feel guilty when they do. The incorporation of ingredients that consumers can feel good about, including trending produce and herbs, can help them strike this balance.

Consumers have also been looking beyond the pharmacy for solutions to everyday health concerns. Instead, they’ve been looking amongst the grocery store shelves for products that address specific short- and long-term health issues. This has given rise to the functional ingredient trend. Ingredients like turmeric, ginger, mushrooms, and more have been sought after for their potential health benefits. Consider featuring trending functional ingredients to appeal to the health-conscious consumer.

Hot and Spicy

Bring on the heat! Per Mintel, spicy flavors are up 138% in menu item mentions over the past three years for the baked good category. This category is traditionally associated with sweet flavors, so offering spicy flavors is a great way to surprise and intrigue adventurous consumers. Think a fiery five pepper bagel or a green chili and cheddar corn muffin. Another option is to feature sweet heat flavor combinations to allow consumers to try something that’s outside of their comfort zones – but not too far out there. Think spiced chocolate or chipotle mixed berry. With hot and spicy flavors becoming increasingly popular with consumers, consider bringing some heat to your baked good products.

Ready to push the boundaries with baked goods? We’ve got you covered! Contact us today to start working with our marketing and R&D specialists.