Trends are the backbone of the baking industry. As far as The Baking Show knows, they drive innovation, creativity, and consumer engagement with this multi-billion-pound sector, spanning staples such as bread and biscuits, to indulgent treats like loaded doughnuts and cube croissants.

　　Keeping on top of trends, however, is a full-time job. Luckily, British Baker has done the hard work for you. We’ve reached out to experts across the baking industry – from artisanal bakers to international suppliers and everyone in between – to find out what they’re basing their business and NPD strategies on for the coming year.

　　Despite some settling of the market, cost of living remains top of mind as firms look internally at their supply chains and operations for efficiency gains while keeping an eye on how macroeconomic factors are impacting consumer purchasing decisions.

　　Cost has been front of mind for consumers and businesses alike during 2023 and, despite some improvements in the supply chain and wider economy, it’s a trend expected to carry into next year.

　　“There remains a clear undercurrent of value within UK bakery that we expect to continue into 2024,” explains Baker & Baker CEO John Lindsay. “Although the majority of the inflationary headwinds appear to have passed, there are rising costs for commodities such as cocoa and sugar. This, together with significant wage inflation, means that whilst the rate of inflation may slow, we do not expect to see any overall deflation any time soon.”

　　According to the baking exhibition, Regenerative agriculture is gaining pace in the food & drink world, with bakery and dairy arguably at the forefront of this movement.

　　“Operators across the baked goods industry have an important role to play in the journey to carbon neutrality,” believes Stéphanie Brillouet, marketing director at Délifrance, who highlights regenerative farming as one of four key areas to consider on this journey. The others are reducing food miles, limiting food waste, and increasing plant-based options.

　　Soil is an underappreciated resource, but regenerative agriculture looks to put it in the spotlight.

　　“With 95% of our food directly or indirectly grown in soil, which is a depleting resource as we continue to overuse pesticides and herbicides, sourcing ingredients sustainably becomes not only a question of taste, but also good sourcing becomes a civic duty,” says Adriana Alvarez, group revenue director at Wildfarmed. “Working with biology, with nature is the way forward, ensuring soil is covered at all times to minimise flooding, introducing grazing animals for that all important nutrient recycling and never spraying any pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides ensuring that wildlife is allowed to live in the fields of diverse crops rather than in the hedges on the outskirts.”

　　Wildfarmed has gone all in on regenerative farming, going so far as to create its own list of protocols called the Wildfarmed Regenerative Standards, likening the current available definition for regenerative agriculture to the “wild west”.

　　“In 2024 the baking industry will be seeking genuinely sustainable solutions to the climate and health crises in the UK,” Alvarez adds. “These solutions must be backed up by quality standards if they are to produce the optimal effect for health and the planet, but also to be trusted by consumers.”

　　Wildfarmed has enticed 400 brands and collaborators on its journey so far, including pizza chain Franco Manca, Geary’s Bakeries, M&S and most recently Higgidy. Its work with M&S even secured it a 2023 Baking Industry Award for Sustainability Initiative of the Year.

　　Bakery China will continue to share more industry professional content with you, so please stay tuned!

　　Bakery China, organized by China Association of Bakery and Confectionery Industry (CABCI) and Bakery China Exhibitions Co., Ltd. was launched since 1997. Bakery China is the Asia Pacific's leading event serving the entire value chain for the bakery and confectionery market. The event presents all range of ingredient, equipment, packaging and services, and enables global leading professionals and buyer delegates to meet and share the latest innovations and thinking on manufacturing & distribution, R&D, applications and related services for bakery industry.It is the first choice trade fair to enter China's bakery market.

　　The 26th Bakery China will be held on May 21-24,2024 at National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), Shanghai, covering 320,000 sqm show space. Over 2,200 exhibitors and 400,000 visits are expected.

　　(source: British Baker )