Innovative and fun. Those two words perfectly capture the retail baking vibe for 2023. This year is all about putting a distinctive twist on the tried-and true as well as playing with some out-there flair to meet growing consumer demand for new, yet somewhat familiar, baked and sweet good experiences.
Here’s a peek at what’s trending in retail baking in 2023.
Trend No. 1: Apothecary aesthetic. The earthy, whimsical style that’s popular in home styling is expected to migrate toward the bakery. This trend topped the 2023 Pinterest Predicts list in the food and beverage category. The trendspotting giant shared that searches for “sage green cupcakes” increased 210%, searches for “wildflower cupcakes” were up by 110%, and searches for “daisy cupcakes” ticked up 85% between September 2020 and September 2022. The biggest surprise was the spike in searches for herbal apothecary aesthetic, which soared more than 1,025% during the same time frame. Incorporating edible florals such as Japanese cherry blossoms, herbs and other botanicals into their cake and cupcake designs or as flavor enhancers could help retail bakers set themselves apart.
Trend No. 2: Authentic experiences. Street food-inspired flavors are driving this trend. For retail bakers, that swings the innovation door wide open and creates opportunities to weave ingredients and flavors from their personal background and cultures into bakery classics. Capitalizing on this trend can be a win-win: bakers can have fun with bold, exotic flavors while satisfying consumers who crave something new, exciting and different.
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