In a retail landscape that demands that snacks and baked goods have it all—great taste, affordable pricing, innovative flavors, recognizable ingredients and boosted nutrition—one category in particular is rising to the challenge: cookies.

With better-for-you trends top of mind across the food industry, how does an indulgent category like desserts fare?

Riverside Natural Foods was able to double its packaging speeds by installing new packaging systems from tna.

Insights into the top sandwich trends across the U.S. restaurant industry, including R&D inspirations for sandwich-specific breads, buns and rolls.

Today's snack and bakery consumers want food products in packaging that offers convenience, reliable functionality and sustained freshness. They're looking for better-for-you snacks in single-serve portions and resealability.

Advances in packaging materials continue to extend shelf life, while adding convenience and freshness to bakery and snack goods. Innovations in modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP), microbial-inhibiting film, and the use of cellulose nanocrystals are helping to push the envelope.

Since the beginning of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began its destructive spread across the earth, the baking industry has seen highs and lows unlike any other time in history. This unprecedented challenge has reshaped our world, and much of the industry is emerging stronger than ever.

Eating occasions and flavor directions factor into industry activity and planning.

2foods will be showcasing its Nexty Award Finalist, Gâteau Chocolate at Expo West.

Consumers can add eggs, butter or oil, and water for homemade baked goods with the new mixes.

A leader from the bakery chain talks growth, innovation, and maintaining quality standards.

Paris Baguette will be offering a mochi and a King Cream doughnut, plus a chocolate cake, Easter log, and Easter layer cake for the spring season.

Nothing Bundt Cakes tested the new flavor in a handful of markets last year and received a positive response, leading to its nationwide launch.

Like the original Sara Lee Angel Food Cake, this line extension is fully baked and ready to simply thaw, slice, and serve.

The Mother's Day cakes and Graduation Cake is available starting May 1, and the Cheers to Dad cake is available starting June 8.

Handmade on-site by the brand's expert bakers and cakers, the menu is getting a lemon twist this season, including a new innovation: the Supreme Croissant, available in lemon and chocolate varieties. 

Toffee Cake is Crumbl’s newest dessert offering: a chocolate cake soaked in melty caramel sauce and crowned with fluffy whipped cream and chopped toffee pieces.

This week's Crumbl lineup includes Butter Cake, Chocolate Covered Pretzel Pie, Lemon Cupcake, Honey Bun, PB&J, and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunk.

Crumbl's Strawberry Shortcake features a double-stacked vanilla shortcake layered with fresh whipped cream and housemade strawberry jam.

The Baked by Melissa x Claussen Pickle Cupcake will be available beginning July 10 in packs of six or 25 while supplies last.

Café Valley is introducing a new line of Girl Scout Cookie-inspired mini cupcakes, available beginning in August in five different flavors.

The new 12-count mini cupcakes are rolling out to select retailers nationwide now.

Nothing Bundt Cakes and Pop-Tarts have joined forces to release a new cake flavor, Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts, available Aug. 19 to Sept. 1, while supplies last.

The brand's Tastes of Autumn Collection debuts new Pop-Up flavors and brings back its Pumpkin Spice flavor.

To celebrate the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Crumbl is releasing a new dessert, as well as hosting an Instagram-only giveaway that will offer one lucky winner an unforgettable Warner Bros. Studio Tour experience in Burbank, CA.

Retailer’s first significant private label line debut in recent years boasts sweet treats, dessert toppings, seasonal favorites, scented candles, and more designed to celebrate life’s everyday moments.

Consumers can visit Crumbl from September 23–28 for a new mini cake plus deals and contests.

The nationwide bakery café chain is offering a limited-edition Halloween collection to celebrate the festive season.

The bakery café is introducing four new gourmet cake selections for Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving.

The limited-edition meal kit is inspired by the series’ Thanksgiving episode and features all the pre-portioned ingredients to recreate the sweet and savory trifle.

The limited-time bakery treat is made with Miyoko’s Cinnamon Brown Sugar Oat Milk Butter.

Some candies don’t fit neatly into one column or another. That’s okay; the “other” candies like marshmallows, spreads, interactive novelty items, and such seem to be fitting into consumers’ candy budgets just fine. 

It makes sense that mint sales are up (though modestly, when looking at units sold) as recovery from the effects of the pandemic marches on. 

Chocolate is a treat that will never go out of style—whether it’s a consumer purchasing it for their own consumption, or perhaps as a gift for friends or family, it is a well-loved dessert. 

Bars remain big business—the portability, flavor variety, better-for-you options, and other attributes of the bakery category appeals to hungry commuters, on-the-go moms and their offspring, health-conscious snackers, and other consumer segments.

Consumers have been looking to eat healthier, and producers are responding, offering multigrain, keto, and other options for loaf bread.

Buns and rolls will never not be valued in the U.S.—whether you’re a carnivore, flexitarian, or vegetarian, you’re inevitably going to be eating a hamburger or perhaps veggie burger this summer. 

Cookies are a bakery treat that fit in many places—solo snacking sessions, birthdays and special occasions, tucked into lunchboxes for school or work consumption, and more. 

Cookies are a bakery treat that fit in many places—solo snacking sessions, birthdays, and special occasions, tucked into lunchboxes for school or work consumption, and more. 

This month’s eMagazine explores the field’s current health and future success.

Hungry consumers continue to start their day with flavorful, convenient breakfast goods.

With more consumers attending gatherings, the dessert category is having a renaissance. 

Consumers are choosing frozen over delivery demand quality and variety in their pizzas.

As is the case with many bakery products, better-for-you is a leading subcategory.

Producers face ongoing pressures, but they keep demonstrating their strength.

Snacking is a constant, with BFY and other trends mixing things up.

By the numbers, most readers love to dig into snacking statistics.

After offering creative flavors and ingredients, tortilla chip producers are drawing double-digit growth.

Consumers keep eyeballing snacks in the freezer case while keeping an eye on their budgets.

Manufacturers are poised to tackle the various challenges of the chips category.