In a post-pandemic world, health and wellness have taken center stage, more vital to consumers than ever before. But after experiencing three years of emotional turbulence, there's an augmented focus on the "wellness" facet.

Previously viewed as separate entities, the paradigms of “health” and “wellness” are now intertwined. This changing perspective profoundly influences how consumers perceive and indulge in baked goods.

At IDDBA 2023, Rick Stein, VP at FMI, the Food Industry Association, unveiled insights from the association's Power of Bakery consumer research. He highlighted the evolving role of indulgence in the context of health.

“Most consumers disclosed they're averse to the term ‘diet,’” Stein noted. “They perceive it more as an 'eating approach.’”

According to FMI’s study, when asked to define their eating style, the response "my personal diet" ranked prominently, surpassed only by “heart health.” In our tech-driven era where customization is king, it’s no revelation that consumers are putting their personalized diets on a pedestal.

With an increased deliberation over food selections, many are incorporating baked goods—yes, even the rich, indulgent ones—into their daily intake. A prevalent strategy here is meticulous label-reading. Consumers actively search for positive attributes on labels to understand how those products can seamlessly blend into their eating plans.

“What I deduce from this is the multitude of variables in play,” Stein conveyed. “There’s no one-size-fits-all solution.”

Attributes that resonate profoundly with consumers include whole grains, superior-quality ingredients, and the incorporation of “authentic” ingredients like fruits and vegetables.

With an inclination to distance themselves from items labeled "unhealthy", consumers naturally gravitate towards baked delicacies reminiscent of homemade treats. According to Stein, this trend spells optimism for in-store bakery sections.

Moreover, alongside health-focused baked items, indulgent baked goods are gaining prominence in the health and wellness sphere. This trend is bolstered as more and more consumers,  recognize indulgence as integral to mental and emotional welfare.

“Now's the opportune moment to emphasize health and wellbeing,” Stein declared. “People yearn for indulgence, and I fervently advocate that as an industry, we give it due thought.”

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.

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 300,000 visits are expected.（source:commercial baking）