Baked goods and the ‘new’ health and wellness

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Baked goods and the ‘new’ health and wellness

7 Jun 2023

Joanie Spencer

Since 2008, Joanie Spencer has covered the retail and wholesale sides of the baking industry.
Serving associations such as the American Society of Baking (ASB) and BEMA, Joanie is also in demand as an industry presenter on bakery operations and trends. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Rockhurst University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

When she’s not running or playing soccer, Joanie spends her time with her husband and 11-year-old son.

ANAHEIM, CA — In a post-pandemic world, health and wellness has become more important for consumers than ever. However, in the aftermath of a three-year emotional upheaval, people are placing a heavier emphasis on the “wellness” side of the equation.

Once considered an either-or proposition, the concepts of “health” and “wellness” are no longer mutually exclusive. That can have big implications for how consumers think about — and eat — indulgent baked goods.

During IDDBA 2023, Rick Stein, VP at FMI, the Food Industry Association, shared findings from the association’s Power of Bakery consumer research, including the new role indulgence plays in consumers’ idea of health.

“Most consumers said they don’t like using the term ‘diet,’” Stein said. “They looked at it more as an ‘eating approach.’”

FMI’s report asked consumers to rate their eating style. The result was that “my personal diet” was near the top of the list, second only to “heart health.” In an age of technology where everything is customizable, it’s not surprising that consumers prioritize their own unique diets as a favorite style.

As people are thinking more purposefully about their food choices, they’re making room for baked goods — even the indulgent ones — in their daily diets. One strategy they’re tapping into is label-reading. They’re looking for callouts on products’ positive attributes to help them understand the ways those products can fit into their diets.

“What I take away from this is that there are a multitude of things to consider,” Stein said. “There’s no silver bullet here. You have to be talking about nutritional callouts, especially in the bakery department.”

Some product attributes that are resonating best with consumers are whole grains, better-for-you ingredients, and the use of “real” ingredients such as fruits and vegetables.

As consumers shy away from products they consider “bad” for them, consumers have a tendency to gravitate toward baked goods they would tend to make at home, according to Stein. And that’s good news for the in-store bakery department.

In addition to baked goods made with healthy attributes, indulgent baked goods are also stepping into the spotlight of the health and wellness stage, especially as more consumers emphasize indulgence as a part of mental and emotional wellbeing.

“Now is the time where you can lean in on health and wellbeing,” Stein said. “People want to be able to indulge, and I would strongly recommend as an industry that we think about that.”

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