The baking and pastry industry

The baking and pastry industry

1. INTRODUCTION

The baking and pastry industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors. Nowadays, leading chefs consider baked and pastry products as not only a complement to the dishes served but also a fundamental aspect of innovation offerings. The industry provides a wide range of products which include bread, cakes, crackers, cookies, biscuits as well as other wheat products. The baking and pastry industry is sweeping the market with the adoption of new trends and innovations. Over the years, the underlying trends in the industry have been based on health, convenience and pleasure. The trends have, over time, influenced product innovation in bread and other baked and pastry products.

Research Question: What are some of the trends and innovations in baking and pastry?

Thesis statement: The baking and pastry industry continues to be revolutionized by the latest trends and innovations, which are based on health, pleasure and convenience. Health is a significant driver of innovations in the industry. Additionally, new products have been developed for more pleasure and convenience. Moreover, sustainability has been deeply embraced in the production of baked and pastry products.

1. SUPPORTING ARGUMENT#1

Topic sentence: Production in the baking and pastry industry has become more oriented towards taste and freshness.

Supporting details

• According to Purlis (2012), taste is the number one consumer consideration for chocolate, bread and pastry products in North America. Although texture and appearance are important, taste has been kept a top priority. While some consumers have been observed to love traditional tastes, others prefer unusual tastes. Consequently, the industry has been responding to this through products that balance the tastes at the same time giving new experiences.
• The interest in the freshness of food has been growing over the years. Many consumers link freshness with quality. Additionally, in their definition of freshness, they ask questions like, when was the product baked? What is the smell of the product? What is the expiry date of the product? These questions have recently been translated into baked products that can last longer (Friberg, 2013).

1. SUPPORTING ARGUMENT#2

Topic Sentence:  In the baking and pastry industry, health has proved to be a major driver of innovations. Bakers now aim to produce products that have higher health contribution to the consumers.

Supporting details

• According to Friberg (2013), public awareness for an unbalanced diet and the ever-increasing health-related issues has led to increased research in the products that have nutritional value and promote health and wellbeing. On the same note, consumers have a growing interest in foods that maintain energy and enhance satiety. Innovations in the baking sector have aimed for healthier products that constitute fibres, whole grains, as well as antioxidant substances.
• Additionally, the production of gluten-free products is on the rise. Pea proteins, rice, broaden bean flour are being used to substitute gluten in colour rendering and making the dough easier to knead. Moreover, the addition of fibre to gluten-free products is being used to increase nutritional value as well as mouthfeel and texture.
• Furthermore, crustier bread is gaining fame on the concerns that it promotes health and wellness. Additionally, low carbohydrate products and pastries are being made using soy in place of white flour (Tarens, 2020).

1. SUPPORTING ARGUMENT #3

Topic Sentence: Sustainability has become a big concern for the baking and pastry industry, which is facing extreme pressure from the authorities and consumers regarding nutritional value and sustainability of products (Martínez-Monzó et al., 2013).

Supporting details

• The demand for sustainable ingredients and alternative packaging is high from the consumers’ end. In light of this, bakers are sourcing and utilizing ingredients such as palm oil sustainably. Additionally, the industry is developing strategies that reduce the usage of scarce resources such as phosphate.
• Moreover, the consumers increasing interest in vegan and vegetarian diets have offered opportunities for biscuit brands that are inherently vegetarian.

1. SUPPORTING ARGUMENT #4

Topic Sentence: The baking and pastry industry is experiencing a rise in the frozen bakery products.

Supporting details.

• According to Tarens (2020), the growing acceptance of the frozen bakery has been triggered by the need for convenience, the preparation speed, ease of availability and friendliness of costs. Additionally, the market is supported by the high demand from coffee shops and smaller food chains.
• Moreover, the fast-paced lifestyle has compelled consumers to go for baked products, as they are the convenient option as compared to conventional ones. Bakers are now focusing on the production of frozen bakery products such as mouse shots, muffins, pizza tarts, Choco lavas and marble brownies (Martínez-Monzó et al., 2013).

1. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the need to promote consumer health, convenience and pleasure has been a significant driver of various trends and innovations in the baking industry. Notably, the adoption of these trends by the baking and pastry staff will result in more sales and, therefore, the growth of the entire industry.

References

Friberg, B. (2013). Professional pastry chef. John Wiley.

Labensky, S., Martel, P., & Van Damme, E. Textbook of baking & pastry fundamentals.

Martínez-Monzó, J., García-Segovia, P., & Albors-Garrigos, J. (2013). Trends and Innovations in Bread, Bakery, and Pastry. Journal Of Culinary Science & Technology, 11(1), 56-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/15428052.2012.728980

Purlis, E. (2012). Baking process design based on modelling and simulation: Towards optimization of bread baking. Food Control, 27(1), 45-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2012.02.034

Tarens, C. (2020). Frozen Bakery Market Size, Share | Industry Trends Report 2019-2025. Grandviewresearch.com. Retrieved 26 March 2020, from https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/frozen-bakery-market.

Rinsky, G., & Rinsky, L. H. (2008). The pastry chef’s companion: a comprehensive resource guide for the baking and pastry professional. John Wiley & Sons.