Major trends in patisserie

Of course, the taste of the product is crucial in patisserie. What trends do we see when it comes to taste?

Where it concerns the flavour, chocolate turns out to be the most established, followed by strawberry, vanilla and coffee. But the survey showed that new flavours like fig, matcha, salted caramel and cardamom are conquering the world. And we also see a rise in savoury patisserie. Have you tried a salmon macaron or a salty éclair yet?

Colour also influences taste, and the biggest trend in colours seems to be: striking and soft at the same time. From rainbow cakes bursting with colours, to a rainbow of velvets: green velvet, blue velvet and even purple velvet.

Another eye-catching trend is the new balance between classics and innovative products. Consumers seem to want both and bakers all over the world are anticipating this demand. The survey reveals that innovative hybrids – like brookies, cronuts and macaronuts – remain popular with new hybrids being invented everywhere. On the other hand, there’s a trend for re-inventing classics and for local traditions that are welcomed globally.

In almost every food sector, naturalness is a hot topic. A growing number of people pay close attention to what they eat and want their patisserie to be gluten free, lactose free, vegan or sugar free (or at least low on sugars) as well. Claims on packaging catering to these special diets are becoming more prominent.

When it comes to packaging, there is another huge trend in naturalness: clean(er) product labelling. Consumers want product labels to present a comprehensive overview of the ingredients, as well as giving clear information about the sourcing of the ingredients. They don’t want to get lost in translation. And they want the packaging to prove that the product contains healthy ingredients. People want to eat healthier and so they prefer fruits, wholegrains and other healthy, natural ingredients.

Freshness is the third driver that the survey brought to the table. Packaging also plays an important role in showing consumers that your product is fresh. Craft packaging turns out to express freshness, and the same applies to transparent casings. Single portion packs suggest freshness as well.

Freshness also takes completely different forms in the world of patisserie. A concept that really radiates freshness is customisation, where your order is personalised or decorated on the spot. It doesn’t get any fresher than that!

And finally, you can choose to let freshness take the lead by adapting your concept to it. The survey revealed the rise of ‘fresh formats’: shops that give you an authentic bakery feeling, where everything is fresh and made to order. Think of open-oven concepts like Pastryclub or Carrefour that prove their freshness by letting you see and smell the baked goods.