This year, Délifrance selected six game-changing bakery trends that will stand out in the market.
From texture-driven sensations to protein-packed solutions, catch a glimpse of what will drive consumers’ demand and create new opportunities.
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Lost in Sensations The texture revolution
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Small Is the New Big Mini formats take over
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Flavor Things Bold taste adventures
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Mission Nutrition Functional baking Revolution
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Catch it while you can Limited edition buzz
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Eat, Plant, Love Craveable Plant-Based
Lost in sensations
While texture has moved from “nice-to-have” to core driver of product preference, consumers actively seek contrast within a single bite, making mash-up textures the key to enjoyment. With 71% identifying mouthfeel as central to food pleasure¹ and strong growth in descriptors such as crispy (+49%), flaky (+50%), chewy (+27%), sticky (+20%) and gooey (+43%)², texture is now an essential part of product design rather than just a finishing touch.
Watching the growth of ASMR in the ultimate proof: crunchy, creamy, flaky, cracking…the sound of texture is everywhere on social media. ASMR*-related searches in the food & beverage category are steadily increasing and consistently score above the global average (>50/100)³.
So, after sight, smell or taste, what if hearing was the new driver?
- Add filling/toppings/layers to your base products: This will create a crispy effect and a surprise with the creamy/melt-in-the-mouth centre. To create an extra texture, simply include an additional ingredient to your creamy filling, such as crunch with hazelnuts or crispiness with kadaif. Délifrance’s recipe Dubai style croissant definitely illustrates the trend.
- Practical tip: Build the texture in stages (base, filling, topping) to preserve contrasts and simplify execution. Have you heard of the Croissant Bar solution? It answers this trend, have a look at it!
- Showcase your products using your social media accounts: Zoom in on your products and let your customers be captivated by the sound of them.
Small is the New Big
You can’t have missed the “Ozempic effect” trend, already affecting the food industry by making smaller the new normal15. As consumers adopt new behaviors, smaller portions are increasingly seen as a smarter way to enjoy indulgence. Today, 69% of consumers actively seek portion-controlled snacks4 and 60% of Millennials choose smaller formats to better manage weight, without giving up on pleasure.
However, weight control is not the only explanation: 60% of Millenials also consciously make this choice to avoid foodwaste5
Even more: the snacking mindset is now part of a real lifestyle! 65% of consumers snack more than they did last year4, and 6 in 10 identify as “snack adventurers”, looking for new formats that fit their rhythm and lifestyle4. Micro, Mini and Midi are considered for multiple occasions all day long and cover all categories!
- Create mini versions of your classic desserts; Cut your layered cakes or large brownies into smaller pieces: what a treat for a sweet snack!
- Offer small and medium-sized sandwiches in addition to a soup or a salad: a lunch for every appetite
- Shareable savoury mini formats for evening or on-the-go occasions: small in size but big in joy!
- Sell mini viennoiseries with the morning coffee: guaranteed success
Flavor Things
Today, 43% actively seek out crazy and indulgent creations that challenge traditional taste boundaries, signaling a clear appetite for more adventurous experiences⁷. Classic, sure, but with an unexpected twist!
Swicy, spicy, smokey, swalty flavors & fusions continue to entertain consumers and rise on social media, and many brands are leveraging on this trend, such as Picard x Joyca with their vanilla-pickle ice-cream, out-of-stock in less than a week¹⁵.
People also share online these combos in their bakery-related recipes and products: spicy sweet chili, honey garlic cream, smoked spicy, chili hot honey, chili lemon, miso caramel.
At the same time, ingredients borrowed from international cuisines, such as yuzu, black sesame, matcha, tahini or kimchi, reach mainstream visibility.
- Combine
sweet/neutral flavors with your own twist : what about filling your croissant with smokey chocolate or topping your focaccia with hot honey? - Leverage on
#Umami by, why not, adding Miso caramel to your cheesecake? Here is a recipe for you.
Mission Nutrition
Protein, gut health and functional ingredients are now firmly on consumers’ radar, driven by active lifestyles and growing interest in food that support long-term wellbeing. Today, 42% of consumers identify protein as the most important ingredient⁹, and high-protein bakery products represent the fastest-growing segment in health-oriented baking, with the category projected to grow by 7% through 2030¹⁰. Solutions such as protein-enriched breads, muffins and breakfast pastries respond to clear consumer demand for functional nutrition that fits into daily routines.
At the same time, fermentation is reinforcing bakery’s health credentials. Sourdough* conversations are up 158% year-on-year⁸, while digestive health claims appear in 22% more bakery launches¹¹. Improved digestibility, fiber content and nutrient bioavailability make fermented products naturally appealing to health-conscious consumers, 48% of whom actively seek fiber and probiotic supplements¹² Cherry on the cake : sourdough is well-known for its flavor-booster proprieties, leading to its use nowadays in pâtisserie, in viennoiserie…
- Introduce protein-enhanced breads, muffins and breakfast pastries into your offer.
- Live sourdough, breathe sourdough, sleep sourdough… sourdough bread is not the only option! Think of croissants, sandwiches, or dedicated recipes!
- Combine the best of both worlds! Add hummus to sourdough-bread sandwiches, peanut butter on top of sourdough bread...
Catch it while you can
Limited editions are not just about ‘being new.’ They are about creating moments, moments that carry a sense of urgency, reinforce brand appeal, and unlock premium value. With 91% of consumers more likely to buy from chains offering LTOs¹³, limited editions are no longer tactical additions, but a structured way to drive traffic, engagement and perceptions of added value.
Seasonal flavors remain a must :71% consumers actively seek them out¹³, and the steady growth in limited edition bakery products (+38%)⁷ confirm it. Consumers are eager to try on products based on ingredients available for a short window, such as cherry or figs.
Special occasions also have high impact: Christmas bakery recipes, for instance, are always buzzing and building up excitement on social media.
Same goes for collabs between brands or with influencers, turning limited-time offers into real buzz generators and generating impulse purchases. You must have a look at Krispy Kreme x Pistachio Papi doughnut, such a hit on social!
- Create rotating seasonal collections aligned with key calendar moments: follow the seasonality of fruit for pies, add spices at the end of the year, etc.
- Develop limited-edition offerings for special occasions (Christmas, National Day…): leverage on Delifrance recipes!
Eat, Plant, Love
If plant-based bakery was once perceived as a niche market, this is not the case anymore. Today, 21% of new bakery launches carry plant-based claims⁷, with a new form: no more boring communication, make way for to colorful, vibrant and fun marketing mix!
Ingredient innovation has unlocked rich textures and authentic flavors through solutions such as aquafaba, cashew creams and coconut butters, enabling plant-based recipes that rival traditional formulations.
- Attract a wider audience: veganise the classics! From vegan brownies to dairy-free cheesecakes, these products appeal not only to vegans, but increasingly to flexitarian consumers. Do not forget about vegan croissants: plain or filled, they are as vegan as delicious
- Design for indulgence first: make your plant-based products look craveable.
- Create positive emotional appeal through design and storytelling: Highlight pleasure and ingredients! Success lies in making plant-based bakery desirable first, but also fresh and fun. In our opinion, new French brands such as ©La Vie are leading the way!
The 6 bakery trends reflect on real transformations in consumer behavior and expectations.
In 2026, those who know how to combine pleasure, innovation and nutritional relevance will not only have their customers' attention, but also their preference. Embrace these trends, make them your own, and turn them into memorable experiences that will get people talking about your establishment far beyond the counter.
Would you like even more inspiration and original recipes to offer your customers during the season?
Glossary:
*ASMR : Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response | Swicy: Combination of sweet and spicy flavours. | swalty: Sweet and savoury flavour combinations | *Sourdough : bread-making method that uses natural fermentation from wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria
References:
At Délifrance, we've been analysing consumer behaviour and sentiment for years. As we do every year, we track consumer changes and adaptations through ongoing research, market research and analysis of online searches and conversations around the world using a variety of tools.
1. Puratos taste of tomorrow, (2025). Hottest bakery trends for 2026 | 2 Tastewise, 2025: Culture Shift 2026: Food & Beverage Trend Forecast | 3 Google Trends, 2025 – ASMR in F&B). | 4.Mondelez, (2024): state of snacking | 5. Georgetown University, (2024): the power of portions | 6. Circana, (2024) Frozen Bites & Minis by Product, Dollar Sales & National Eating Trends®, Future of Frozen Initial Exploration | 7.Innova Market Insights (2025), Bakery trends 2025 | 8. Délifrance x Synthesio social listening, (2025): bakery report (last 12months) | 9. Innova market insights, (2025): Global protein market trends | 10. Grand view research, (2025): High Protein Bakery Products Market (2025 - 2030) | 11. Innova market insights, (2025): digestive/gut health claim growth | 12. Prebiotics and Probiotics Trends: Global Market Overview | 13. Circana Report Reveals the Strategic Influence and Timeless Impact of Limited-Time Offers in Shaping | 14. FMCG Reports, How GLP-1 Medications are Reshaping Food and Drink | 15. Le Monde du surgelé : Picard et Joyca : le stock épuisé en une semaine (15/12/2025)