Joy drives sweet baked goods
Cargill study shows indulgence and happiness outweigh health in bakery choices
Health-forward diets may shape many of today’s grocery aisles, but when it comes to sweet baked goods, consumers say joy still rules the day. That’s the message from Cargill’s latest “Sweet Delights: Sweet Baked Goods Demand Drivers:” research, unveiled at the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE).
Conducted in May 2025 with more than 5,000 U.S. and Canadian consumers, the study explored how shoppers connect with nine bakery segments, from cakes and cookies to donuts and pies. It also looked at differences across grocery departments, spanning baking mixes, center aisle, refrigerated dough, frozen and in-store bakery. The findings point to a simple truth: while priorities differ by product type and department, joy is the unifying thread.
“Sweet bakery is where rules get relaxed and happiness takes center stage, but what sparks purchase depends on the product and the aisle,” said Keith Albright, senior insights manager, Cargill. “By mapping these priorities across segments and departments, our research delivers one of the clearest views yet into the nuanced forces driving demand and value in this indulgent space.”
Joy at the center of bakery
In four of the five retail departments studied, consumers ranked “brings me joy” as the top reason for buying sweet baked goods. The lone exception was center store, where “irresistible” topped the chart. Yet beneath that shared sense of joy, important differences emerged. For example, “homemade taste” was a leading reason for in-store bakery and baking mixes, while “familiar” carried more weight for center-store purchases.
Similar variations appeared by product type. Even within a single segment like cookies, priorities shifted by department — in-store bakery buyers prized “homemade taste,” while center-aisle shoppers favored “familiarity.”
Strong satisfaction and value
Alongside tracking demand drivers, the Cargill study explored consumer satisfaction and value perceptions. Overall, sweet baked goods earned high marks. Topping the charts, 94% of refrigerated dough buyers were “extremely or very satisfied,” while perceived value was especially strong for baking mixes, with 83% of survey participants rating them “very/fairly good” value.
At the other end, center-aisle products posted the lowest results with 86% of consumers “extremely/very satisfied” and just 68% viewing them as “very/fairly good value.”
Importantly, the study revealed specific value drivers for the bakery space, giving manufacturers a clear view of what matters most to consumers.
“As shoppers weigh how to spend their dollars, understanding not only what drives demand but also what underpins value is critical to long-term success,” Albright said.
Packed with insights into consumer priorities in each area of the consumer path to purchase, Cargill’s Sweet Delights research provides a roadmap to better align products with demand drivers and opportunities for differentiation. The study also serves as a benchmark for brands and products to assess current perceptions and identify areas where improvement is critical.
“When brands understand the drivers behind each bakery product type, retail department and channel, they can unlock real value,” Albright said. “When they stray too far from those priorities, that connection and its corresponding value can slip away.”
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