Trends in the Baking Snack Industry in 2025
In 2025, the baking and snack industry will undergo a transformation that is both innovative and delicious.
As is well known, an increasing number of health conscious consumers are seeking products that have functional benefits and meet their ecological values, forcing brands to make bold choices that integrate health, sustainability, and indulgence. But is the brand ready to meet consumers’ desire for flavorful, health oriented snacks while also aligning with their ecological values?
The following are the main trends predicted for 2025 and have received insights from numerous industry leaders.
01. Redefining Protein: From Essential for Gyms to Daily Nutrition
Consumers will increasingly believe that protein is crucial for overall health, not just fitness.
This shift is partly driven by the rise of weight loss drugs, which can lead to muscle and fat loss, resulting in an increased demand for protein to maintain muscle mass. This trend has become a nutrition star, repositioning protein as a major component of brain health, hormone production, and overall health, positioning it as a daily dietary requirement. To meet this demand, major brands are creating protein choices that go beyond typical fitness products.
02. Alternative food coloring to avoid UPF
Consumers are becoming increasingly wary of ultra processed foods (UPFs) and synthetic colors.
Health conscious consumers are now actively seeking natural alternatives: this shift is consistent with consumers’ interest in independent brands and natural color and nutrient products.
The trend of “revisiting and reinventing” reinforces this trend, emphasizing the desire for simple, familiar, and comfortable flavors – which is related to minimally processed foods. People are increasingly distrusting artificial ingredients, which is driving the demand for products that are both nutritious and visually appealing.
03. Functional beverages and the benefits of enhancing hydration and health
Reusable water packaging bottles are becoming a trend, and so are the products inside. Consumers hope to add functional hydration to their daily lives.
By 2025, beverages mixed with electrolytes, fibers, and plant-based ingredients will dominate. These beverages typically contain ingredients that promote brain health and serve as a substitute for sugary soda water.
Puratos echoes this trend. According to the company’s forecast, consumers are increasingly seeking beverages that enhance their mood and help them relax.
It is expected that non-alcoholic and mood improving beverages will grow, especially those that add adaptive mushrooms, CBD, and magnesium to help consumers stay clear headed and reduce anxiety.
04. Sour dough is a widely used ingredient in baked goods
Research has found that by 2025, the popularity of sourdough will increase by 40%.
Sour dough now appears in pastries, bagels, and donuts, especially in the French speaking region where the health benefits and appeal of handmade sourdough are highly praised. This versatile ingredient aligns with consumers’ preferences for unique flavors and foods that support gut health.
The expansion of sourdough beyond bread highlights the rise of a health conscious trend. The familiarity and tradition of sourdough, combined with its health benefits, make it an attractive choice for traditional and blended cooking.
05. Cooking Fusion: Innovation Driven by East West and Technology
Culinary fusion is another top trend predicted by Puratos – combining global ingredients and technology to create mixed desserts and savory foods aimed at pleasing consumers’ senses. Pastry chefs are turning to AI to try new flavors and break boundaries with unexpected combinations. Social media has amplified these innovative flavors.
Consumers are also attracted by dishes that combine different textures and flavors, such as sour, sweet, and spicy flavors. This fusion trend is particularly popular in the English, Portuguese, and Chinese markets, reflecting people’s desire for adventurous food experiences across cultures and generations.
06. Nutritional balance of chocolate
Traditionally, chocolate was seen as a form of indulgence, but now it has become a part of healthy exercise.
Consumers are increasingly seeking nutrient rich foods to help with mental clarity, immunity, and overall health. In fact, the Puratos report states that by 2025, the demand for nutritious and healthy chocolate will increase by 30%, such as those containing turmeric, plants, and nuts.
07. Taste and Color Trends
The trend of “adaptive eating” in 2025 emphasizes how technology enables consumers to customize their diets – driving flavors and colors that improve satiety, affordability, and sensory satisfaction by 2025.
This trend is driven by consumers adjusting their consumption to improve their health while addressing economic challenges. Products that reduce fat and sugar – while still maintaining the most important taste – will resonate and achieve the hallmark of indulgence without harming health.
08. Functional components that enhance cognition and physical health
Prediction: People’s curiosity about functional ingredients will increase, such as those with cognitive enhancing properties (such as silver apricot leaves and magnesium) that can help people concentrate and maintain clarity of mind.
The market research company has responded to this trend under its 2025 themes of “happiness first” and “doing well, feeling good”. Consumers hope to combine enjoyment with health benefits, choose products that align with their values, and support emotional and physical well-being. This is where functional components come into play: helping individuals balance their mental and physical health.
09. Next Generation Sustainable Development and Ethical Choices
The next generation of sustainable development practices will become more dominant, especially when consumers demand more environmentally friendly choices. Regenerative agriculture will become a hot topic in 2024, and next year we will hear more and more about Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) (Greenhouse Agriculture). The products grown by CEA, such as low impact grains and agricultural products, conform to ethical consumerism.
The report states that consumers will prioritize sustainability and ethical responsibility, and are increasingly inclined towards brands that reflect these values.
10. Nostalgia and Innovation Meet in Taste
Consumers’ desire for nostalgic flavors provides comfort in uncertain times.
It is predicted that mangoes rich in vitamin C will dominate by 2025, reflecting the theme of nostalgia meeting innovation. The company believes that consumers should expect to see mango flavor in various foods, from snacks to beverages, utilizing this familiar yet vibrant ingredient to support immune health.
As consumers strike a balance between comfort and adventure, brands have the opportunity to offer products that meet constantly changing needs while adhering to ethical values. By embracing these trends and telling their stories to savvy consumers, brands can establish deeper connections with an increasing number of people seeking products that are both physically and spiritually rich.
UFM6000 is an automatic food slicing machine with ultrasonic cutting technology, built to slice sticky, frozen, delicate and difficult products, such as sponges cakes, cheesecakes, brownie cakes, pies, quiches, pizzas, pastries, flapjacks and other products with a wide range of temperature from -15 degree Celsius to ambient temperature. And it allows each slice to have a clean quality cutting surface. The machine UFM6000 could slice two round products at the same time and half sheet products out of pan.
- Average speed: about 60-200 products per hour
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About Cheersonic
Cheersonic manufactures the leading portioning equipment for bakeries producing fresh and frozen desserts. Since 1998 bakers have used Cheersonic machines to cut, slice and portion cheesecake, pie, layer cake, loaves, butter, cheese, pizza, sandwichs, and more. Cheersonic offers ultrasonic cutting solutions that support start-up bakeries and high production commercial facilities alike. Small standalone machines can be used in manual baking facilities and large inline robotic solutions aid in high speed production.
Cheersonic offers many ultrasonic slicing models, both inline and offline applications, with production speeds of 80 to 1,500 cakes or pies per hour.
Cheersonic’ latest offline introductions include ultrasonic cutting with or without divider inserts between each slice. This improves the quality of the cut and makes for a much better product presentation for the customer. In addition, robotic arm improves the speed, efficiency, and accuracy of the cutting process, producing professional looking products every time.
Chinese Website: Cheersonic Provides Professional Ultrasonic Cutting Solutions
