Puratos forecasts top 2026 bakery, chocolate trends

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The basics:

As 2026 takes shape, food trends will likely be influenced by more than taste, according to the latest consumer insights from South Jersey-based bakery ingredients company Puratos. In its recently released outlook for the new year, the manufacturer highlighted the growing demand for products across the bakery, patisserie and chocolate sectors that combine great flavor with texture, health benefits and a unique experience.

To find out what people are craving, Puratos said it uses semantic artificial intelligence to analyze social data and consumer behavior from 50-plus countries.

Launched over a decade ago, the company’s Taste Tomorrow research program builds on insights from over 23,000 consumers globally to offer up-to-date views on bakery trends that can be used to inspire new food product development.

According to the Taste Tomorrow forecast for 2026, key trends include:

• As health awareness grows, consumers are embracing smaller portions of higher quality desserts. Puratos believes the shift “reflects a broader trend toward premiumization: choosing less, but better.”
• Besides being cute and Instagrammable, miniature desserts and one-bite cakes are being hailed as “the perfect balance of celebration and moderation,” Puratos said.
• In conducting its research, Puratos found that 64% of North Americans said they’d rather have a smaller size treat than compromise on flavor. For example, online searches for “mini desserts near me” shot up by 400% during the second quarter of 2025, the company pointed out.

Puratos North America President Andrew Brimacombe said, “I think probably what we’re seeing as a general evolution is people want to be healthier overall … they want to be healthy most of the time, and when they want to indulge, they want to indulge with delicious things and our Taste Tomorrow research shows us this. But they want to know that it has a short ingredient list, and they can pronounce everything on the label.”

Tangy twist

After a sharp spike in popularity in 2024, tangy notes in classic sweets remains one of the biggest and most talked about trends, according to Puratos.

In 2026, lemon zest and fruity sour flavors are predicted to lead the charge in cakes, desserts and fine patisserie, the company said.

Because tangy flavors – particularly those from citrus, berries and tropical fruits – can make treats feel lighter, fresher and more natural, it generally appeals to health-conscious consumers. There’s also a move away from ultra-sweet profiles as consumers crave a more balanced, complex and bold flavor experience, said Puratos. Its analysis noted that 64% of survey respondents “would like to try exotic tastes from other parts of the world.”

Additionally, vibrant ingredients, like mango, raspberry, yuzu and passion fruit, can bring bold colors and social media-worthy visuals, thereby increasing shareability and premium appeal, Puratos said.

While pastry chefs and cake producers can always rely on the timeless appeal of lemon, raspberry and passionfruit, Puratos encourages innovators to consider incorporating bold, unique flavors like tamarind, Fiori di Sicilia and makrut lime.

Most talked-about bakery trend

Sourdough continues its reign as the most talked-about bakery trend, according to Puratos.

Because it is an ingredient widely seen as beneficial for both taste and health, foods prepared with sourdough are considered twice as appealing, the company said. Its strong link to gut health is especially compelling, reflected in a 99% increase in online searches for “sourdough bread gut health.”

During the second quarter of 2025, searches for “sourdough bread near me” increased by 178%, reflecting deep and growing consumer interest. With 58% of survey respondents believing sourdough makes bread healthier and 70% agreeing it enhances flavor, according to its research, Puratos believes the fermented favorite perfectly bridges health and taste.

A large driver of this growth comes from new applications of sourdough, such as cookies, pastries and other baked goods. Just a few of the concepts gaining traction include sourdough focaccia, cinnamon raisin sourdough and sourdoughnuts.

After superstar Taylor Swift revealed earlier this year on the “New Heights” podcast that she thinks about sourdough “60% of the time,” the ingredient has been trending across social media. As a home baker, the singer-songwriter’s sourdough takes include loaves of cinnamon swirl, blueberry lemon and Funfetti.

Brimacombe said Swift’s passion for sourdough made a strong trend “even stronger.”

“Actually, the fourth most [numerous] item in the commercial bread aisle is now sourdough. And, if you look at where that’s come from, that’s come from obscurity a decade ago to be the fourth most popular item in the category — that’s unbelievable. So, we think sourdough is a very strong trend and it’s continuing an enduring one,” he said.

Texture mashups

Baked goods that combine contrasting sensations – like crispy + chewy; soft + crunchy; or flaky with rich, creamy fillings – are capturing consumer attention worldwide, according to Puratos.

After sourdough, “texture mashups” is the second-fastest growing bakery trend today, Puratos said. In 2026, appetite for multi-texture indulgence is predicted to drive innovation in cakes, desserts and pastry, the company added.

As part of its Taste Tomorrow report, Puratos determined 71% of respondents regard texture as “a key driver of food enjoyment.” It also discovered 67% of consumers are actively seeking “novelty through new formats or unexpected mouthfeels,” and 86% think a creamy filling “adds indulgence and rich flavor to patisserie.”

Layer cakes are another way to deliver contrasting textures, with Puratos reporting a 121% uptick in online conversations about seven-layer chocolate cake last year.

For chocolate, the most sought-after textural feature is a rich, decadent filling. Search volumes on “chocolate bar fillings” increased 191% in the second quarter of 2025 alone and all signs point to further spikes in 2026, Puratos said.

A huge driver for this trend was the viral Dubai chocolate bar, which featured a creamy pistachio center with crispy kataifi dough bits.

According to Puratos, three filling flavors are already seeing growth online and expected to make waves this year: Tres leches, cheesecake and pistachio.

Healthy yet satisfying

One of the biggest trends for the year will revolve around bakery products that support an active, health-conscious lifestyle while satisfying cravings.

According to Puratos, 67% of consumers said they select food based on purported health benefits. After sugar, calories and fat, protein ranks as the most searched nutritional attribute, the company said.

They are not just seeking protein in sports bars and shakes anymore, either. Shoppers are actively looking for high-protein versions of everyday baked goods, like bread, cookies, cakes and desserts, Puratos said.

Taste Tomorrow research showed that online chatter about protein-enriched baked goods is expected to surge 16% this year. Searches and mentions of “low-carb protein bread” and “high protein dessert, low carb” are also anticipated to continue rising, the company said.

In its analysis, Puratos pointed to the rise in awareness and use of GLP-1 medications for weight loss and how that has prompted many to focus more intently on protein intake. Additionally, growing demand for vegan and vegetarian foods has already influenced interest in protein-rich products.

Plant-based chocolate

With 54% of consumers buying plant-based food monthly, plant-based chocolate is set to stay on top in 2026. And, as the trend grows, consumers are on the hunt for new plant-based flavors and formats of their favorite chocolate treats, according to Puratos.

Over the past year, online conversations about “sweet vegan chocolate” surged 130% while searches for “vegan chocolate truffles” rose 60% and “vegan chocolate brands” climbed by 30%, the company discovered.

Particularly popular are plant-based milk or milk-alike chocolate bars made with oat, almond, hazelnut or coconut milk. According to Puratos, 61% of consumers choose plant-based chocolate because they want to make a positive impact on the environment.

A strong preference for clean-label chocolate made with whole, recognizable ingredients is also driving interest in raw vegan chocolate. As products made without roasting the cocoa beans, they are believed to retain more antioxidants and phytonutrients, Puratos said.

Brimacombe added, “I think the other thing we’ve seen this year is the Make America Healthy Again legislation is driving a big change toward clean label. And so, we feel we’re very well positioned on that because our portfolio has been clean label for many, many years, but we’re seeing increased awareness and interest from consumers around clean label items.”

Re-evaluating ingredients

Though America has looser regulations than the European Union and parts of Asia when it comes to synthetic dyes, like Red 40 or Yellow 5, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is re-evaluating such artificial ingredients.

As part of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, companies are urged to adopt safer, plant-based alternatives — despite challenges such as cost and stability.

As a result, a growing number of grocery chains, food service brands and consumer packaged goods giants are experimenting with or transitioning to natural food dyes amid consumer demand for cleaner, more transparent ingredients.

Among the businesses moving toward natural dyes are food service chains like Panera Bread, Starbucks and Chipotle Mexican Grill, as well as CPG companies Mars Wrigley, Unilever, Kraft Heinz and the Campbell’s Co. Grocers such as Stew Leonard’s, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, The Fresh Market and Trader Joe’s also use or promote natural dyes.

Brimacombe said, “Our heritage is as a European company. So, there’s obviously some different things, like differences in labeling to what’s allowed in the European Union and what’s in the U.S. Our core innovation beliefs were built on clean label. So, as we’ve internationalized around the world, we’ve just taken that clean label mindset to different geographies,” he said.

“If you break out the data and you look at what’s growing, you see that healthier products are growing very fast generally within the markets,” he said. “So, we see that type of trend in food where there’s a growing consumer segment — especially as we look at the millennials and then the Gen Zs increasingly are focusing much more and more on health.”

Fresh solutions

As a company, Brimacombe said, “We’re not super negative on indulgence. We believe there’s a place for that and people should have treats.”

“I spend enough time at kids’ birthday parties to see the joy that a cake creates, but we also think there’s an opportunity to make some of those things more clean label, healthier. And also then to look at the better-for-you type category of products. So, we’ve been putting focus on both things,” he said.

Puratos’ portfolio of clean label offerings includes a natural dough conditioner that replaces emulsifiers, an enzyme technology to significantly cut egg usage without affecting the ingredient statement and a fat-reduction solution that maintains indulgent taste and texture.

The company’s commitment to helping bakeries thrive through smart, science-driven innovation recently led to the launch of two additions designed to lower ingredient costs without compromising quality. The newly launched products are a freshness solution that extends shelf life and enables sugar reduction in breads with more than 5% sugar and a cost-effective alternative to traditional chocolate chunks.

On the rise

Founded in 1919, Puratos provides innovative ingredients to the bakery, patisserie and chocolate sectors. It primarily serves large industrial bakers and retailers, along with foodservice chains, distributors and artisan customers.

Its global workforce of about 11,000 employees is spread across the Belgium-headquartered company’s network of 75 production sites, 120 innovation centers and 85 R&D labs.

Puratos opened its first U.S. subsidiary in Boston in 1979 and began production in Pennsauken about four years later.

After moving to Cherry Hill, the company returned to Pennsauken in 2018 to establish a new U.S. base and innovation center as part of a bid to expand its presence here. The $10 million, 23,700-square-foot facility was designed to bring the company’s management, sales, marketing, and technical teams closer together in a collaborative environment for its customers and consumers.

Puratos also has a distribution center and industry leading manufacturing plant alongside its campus in Pennsauken.

Over the past year, the company unveiled an industrial pilot bakery at its headquarters to support rapid prototyping and product development for commercial bakers. The 12,000-square-foot space is located in a converted warehouse, just steps away from the company’s innovation center.

It also just launched the first plant in the country dedicated entirely to making bakery glaze.

That 50,000-square-foot site includes advanced automation and digital workflows to help achieve maximum efficiency. In an effort to accelerate innovation and product development, it also has a dedicated pilot line for co-creation with customers, according to Puratos.

Beyond its high-tech capabilities, this facility strengthens Puratos’ position as the only glaze supplier offering a reliable, resilient domestic supply of bakery glaze. It joins Puratos’ global network of glaze sites, the company said.

Glaze reigns supreme

According to the Puratos, the plant’s line runs packaging formats to support a range of needs – from bag-in-box options to large-scale industrial packaging – for its signature plant-based and allergen-free egg wash alternative known as Sunset Glaze.

Brimacombe said, “One of the things I think that’s interesting is in our research, 8 out of 10 consumers said that they preferred the look of glazed products. We also see about a 7% difference in growth on glazed versus unglazed items in the category at the moment at retail. So, I think glazing with the idea that people buy with their eyes is continuing to gather pace and glazing is right at the forefront of that.”

By eliminating the need for eggs, Sunset Glaze supports manufacturers in their transition to cage-free operations, helping them meet evolving consumer expectations and corporate sustainability goals. It also reduces food safety risks and cuts CO₂ emissions by over 50% compared to traditional egg-based glazes, Puratos said.

Besides having “a much lower environmental impact,” Sunset Glaze is “much easier for the bakers to manage and handle in the plants, especially if they don’t have egg allergens already in there,” Brimacombe said.

Next generation of bakers

The company’s footprint in New Jersey also includes the first U.S. Puratos Bakery School. Developed in partnership with Pennsauken High School, the initiative seeks to support student career development and the baking industry’s long-term talent pipeline.

Launched in September 2022, the bakery-focused Career & Technical Education program is part of the school district’s career education offerings.

Structured as a four-year pathway, the curriculum gives students roughly 1,600 hours of instruction in baking, pastry and chocolate. Courses emphasize hands-on learning, including classroom lab work, field trips, guest instruction from industry professionals and on-site work experiences at Puratos facilities and partner organizations.

Upon completion, students earn a certificate in baking & pastry along with an industry-recognized credential from the Retail Bakers of America.

Brimacombe said, “I think as we’re seeing the generations change, we’re seeing more pressure on skilled labor. We see that retailers are outsourcing more. They traditionally did more at the in- store bakeries before the pandemic and post-pandemic, it became even harder to attract skilled labor. And obviously the cost of labor continues to increase and to be a pressure.”

“When our CEO was in India probably about 15 years ago, he saw that customers were complaining about not having availability of skilled labor. He saw a lot of poverty as well at the same time. And I think that’s a trend that we see in many societies. So, we said, at the confluence of these problems, is there potentially a solution? And so that was where the Bakery School Foundation came from. We have 13 around the world, including one here now in Pennsauken, N.J., and the U.S.,” he said.

“We’re trying to supply the industry with labor on the one hand but give promising and fulfilling careers to people. And we know that baking’s not a career that’s going to be affected. Well, they may be shaped in the future by AI, but we’re still going to need skilled bakers,” he said.

We’re trying to supply the industry with labor on the one hand but give promising and fulfilling careers to people.
– Andrew Brimacombe, Puratos North America President

“It’s been really fantastic. We’ve had great enrollment from the students, fantastic engagement from the families, and a very warm reception from the industry. We’ve had a number of very senior people from our customers come and speak to the students to inspire them about their own journeys and careers and really show them what’s possible. So, it’s very, very positive,” he said.

“We’re just starting to see the fruits of the seeds we planted in 2022 bear fruit right now. We’ve had a number of students from the class do internships with us over several summers now. And one of them joined earlier this year and he’s actually working in our pilot bakery facility now, which is fantastic to see,” he said, adding, “We’re hopeful that a number of those people will go on to good careers.”

Mission possible

In addition to its bakery school in New Jersey, Puratos has similar programs in India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Romania, Portugal, the Philippines, Lebanon, El Salvador and Vietnam.

It’s also just one aspect of the company’s multi-pronged approach to sustainability, according to Brimacombe.

“By the end of 2025, we’ll be carbon neutral. That’s a goal that we set back in the late 2010s, so to get there is absolutely fantastic. We’re also trying to be water balanced by 2030. That’s another goal that we have. So, it’s part of the vision of our shareholders that we want to be very sustainable and as sustainable as we possibly can in how we operate.”

“Another great example of that is our Cacao-Trace program,” he said.

Established in 2013, the initiative strives to improve cocoa quality while raising farmer incomes in key growing regions across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Along with training so they can produce better-tasting cocoa, farmers can receive a premium for higher quality beans and a bonus tied to sales of Cacao-Trace chocolate. The program also reinvests in farming communities through projects such as clean water, schools, health care and agroforestry.

In 2024, a record $7.9 million in premiums and bonuses was distributed to 24,073 farmers across eight countries.

Supporting farmers

In response to growing demand and impact, Puratos has been developing new facilities in origin countries, such as a post-harvest cocoa fermentation center in Peru, cocoa bean roasting line in Vietnam, and grinding line in Mexico to boost quality, traceability and farmer involvement.

By 2030, the company aims to pay out around $8.5 million to 50,000-plus farmers globally through the program.

Brimacombe said, “A lot of cocoa comes from quite impoverished countries … and cocoa farmers are some of the poorest paid people in the world. A lot of those people live on not much more than $1.50 per day. So, that leads to low levels of education, health, sanitation and all of these challenges.”

“And, so, what we’ve done is created a program where we’ve upskilled them to get them to produce a higher quality product by following a process that we give them and teach them. We then pay them a premium for that product. And because we have less waste in the system, and because it’s a higher quality, we’re able to charge more. And that allows them to have a living wage. We also pay them a bonus, and a lot of those communities have taken those bonuses and they’ve invested in schools and hospitals … which is really helping the development,” he said.

“We really believe it’s sustainability in the truest sense of the word. In a lot of those countries, there’s a lot of rural populations that move to urban centers looking for work. But this gives them an ability to stay on the farms, to have a good living, to educate their children, to be healthy and to make a fair wage from cocoa,” Brimacombe said.

Out of this world

Another program established as part of the company’s long-term sustainability strategy revolves around imagining how future settlers on Mars could grow and bake healthy, nutritious food.

While the idea sounds out-of-this-world, the primary purpose of the “Mission to Mars” research and innovation initiative is to figure out smarter, more sustainable ways to produce food here on Earth.

To simulate life on the Red Planet, researchers work in Puratos-owned food technology facilities where they can experiment with growing crops; managing water and nutrients; and baking under extreme, resource-limited conditions.

The work has already gained some recognition since it began in the late 2010s. The project’s research-focused “bakery lab” won a gold prize at the 2021 Global Space Exploration Conference for showing how these ideas could benefit both space travel and sustainable food systems on Earth.

“We’re seeing a change obviously in the environment. There are risks of global warming as we move forward. And, as land changes and as population density increases, we may have to have more productivity from land. So, how can you be ahead of that? And … thinking if conditions become more hostile, how can we still feed the population? That was one of the more adventurous projects that we’ve been doing,” Brimacombe explained.

Much closer to home

Commenting on Puratos’ local ties, Brimacombe said, “We’ve had a very supportive township and a supportive Legislature. And I think that New Jersey’s a great place to do business. We felt very welcome making our home here, and it’s a place we’re committed to and want to continue to invest.”

“Way back when Puratos planted its flag in New Jersey … the main reasons were twofold: geography and business conditions,” he said. “It’s a good place to do manufacturing. There’s a good, well-educated employee base … and it’s well-located.”

Looking ahead, Brimacombe said the company remains focused on “continuing to scale our impact to drive growth in the communities in which we operate.”