In Shanghai's baking market, it is no longer rare to see cakes priced at thousands of yuan. Are these high-price cakes merely a way to "make a quick profit" or do they truly have value?Bakery China will uncover the secrets behind high-price cakes from four aspects: ingredients, craftsmanship, brand positioning, and market trends.

1. The Cost of High-Price Cakes: Dual Value of Ingredients and Craftsmanship

The core of high-price cakes lies in their ingredients and craftsmanship. They use top-tier ingredients such as French AOP butter, Japanese white strawberries, and Madagascar vanilla beans. These ingredients not only enhance the taste but also convey a signal of "luxury." At the same time, the production process of high-price cakes is complex, combining traditional manual skills with modern technology, such as molecular gastronomy and 3D printing. These techniques transform cakes from ordinary desserts into immersive, multi-sensory experiences.

Moreover, exquisite packaging adds value to these cakes. High-end cakes use sophisticated designs to transform products from food into gifts, satisfying consumers' sense of ritual and exclusivity.

2. Formulas and Craftsmanship: Upgrading from Taste to Experience

The value of high-price cakes is also reflected in their unique formulas and craftsmanship. The R&D team carefully designs the formulas to balance sweetness, acidity, and fat ratios, even offering healthy options such as low-sugar and gluten-free varieties. In terms of craftsmanship, high-end cakes blend traditional manual skills with modern technology, like molecular gastronomy and 3D printing, to create complex and personalized decorations that enhance the product's appeal and uniqueness.

3. Brand Positioning: From Product to Lifestyle

The success of high-price cakes is inseparable from their brand positioning. Brands transform cakes into cultural symbols or symbols of a lifestyle, making them important emotional media for birthdays, weddings, or social gatherings. They also emphasize personalized customization services to meet consumers' exclusive needs. Through cultural premium, high-price cakes become symbols of identity. Consumers directly associate high prices with high quality and uniqueness, reinforcing the psychological perception that "there is a reason for the high price."

4. Market Performance and Trends: From "Product" to "Experience"

The success of high-price desserts is a product of consumption upgrading and the experience economy. By integrating cultural, artistic, and personalized elements, they become multi-sensory consumption experiences. Brands collaborate with artists and designers to turn cakes into works of art, satisfying consumers' pursuit of aesthetics and identity.

From a commercial perspective, high-price desserts have become a "social currency." In the era of social media, their unique appearance and experience have become important vehicles for showcasing the quality of life. Brands are transforming from product suppliers to experience service providers, launching immersive activities that allow consumers to participate in product design or production. This further enhances the sense of ritual in consumption.

Looking ahead, the market prospects for high-price desserts will depend on their ability to lead the trend of "cultural export." As consumers' demand for regional flavors and exotic experiences grows, high-end desserts are exploring ways to integrate local culture into their products, becoming an important vehicle for the globalization of culinary culture.

Bakery China 2025 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 27th Bakery China would be held on May 19-22, 2025 at National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), Shanghai, covering 330,000 sqm show space. Over 2,200 exhibitors and 400,000 visits are expected.

（source: Global Baking Guidance）