Bakery food innovation in 2016 was a study in opposites with new product action focused at two extremes. There are indulgent products focused on taste as well as and healthful products with added functionality or fewer objectionable ingredients.
On the indulgence front, bakery food makers went after snacking. This could grow usage occasions while capitalizing on novelty-seeking behavior, which is higher for snacks than for other food types. According to a third-quarter 2016 survey by GlobalData (formerly Canadean), 31% of US consumers say they “often” try new and different varieties of snacks, much higher than the 21% that say they do the same for cakes and pastries.