The last year has proven quite profitable for bakeries serving the retail market for fresh bread. Pandemic-minded shoppers returned to bread with revitalized interest, seeking the comfort and assurance of trusted national and regional brands. Now bakeries need to identify strategies to maintain this momentum as American society gradually eases back into pre-pandemic shopping and dietary patterns.

“We continue to see gluten-free as a mainstay, using ancient and non-traditional grains, such as sorghum, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, and flax,” says Jennifer Tesch, chief marketing officer, Healthy Food Ingredients, Fargo, ND. “The continued growth of gluten-free has put an even larger focus on the variety and scope of different grains that can be used for bread applications.” She notes her company’s purple corn ingredients have high levels of antioxidants—twice the levels found in blueberries—adding unique visual appeal with a clean label.

Read the entire Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery article here.