KANSAS CITY, MO — They call it Maycember. It’s the season of final exams, graduations, weddings, vacations … and for the baking industry, trade shows and LTOs. As the school year ends and we transition into summer, the months of May and June have become as crazy as the Q4 holiday season, when we not only have industry work to do but also celebrations of our own in every format imaginable.

It’s a time of year when we as an industry become painfully aware that we live on both sides of the curtain. We enjoy (or grapple with, depending on your perspective) living in the dichotomy of being baked goods producers and consumers.

For the Commercial Baking team, it’s an exciting time as we catalog some of our favorite product launches for our New Products Annual. Putting on our own “consumer” hats, we get to enjoy the perks of the job when the samples start rolling in … though at some point, we might need to invest in a second freezer.

This year, I noticed something special. Our 2024 edition isn’t just about a collection of cool new products. We also take a deeper dive into how — and why — new products come together the way they do. Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it’s a result of something much bigger. New products are designed to meet a need, and that requires intentionality and care.

I hope you see this edition as more than just a collection of products. It’s a tip of the cap to the hearts and minds creating foods that sustain generations. Here’s to creativity, functionality … and keeping the Commercial Baking kitchen stocked.

This story has been adapted from the 2024 New Products Annual of Commercial Baking. Read the digital edition here.