Trends in High Protein Bakery

Highlights:

• Healthy baked goods made with whole grains, super foods, and other nutrients are becoming more popular. 
• Demand is increasing for high-protein baked goods. 

Consumers Rely on Bakery Products

U.S. consumers turn to a wide variety of bakery products on a regular basis, with 74% consuming bread, 57% waffles, and 50% cakes/patisserie at least weekly.¹ The high rate of bread consumption shows that even as consumers are replacing more meals with snacks, traditional staples such as bread are still important. 

Bakery products also play a key role at breakfast time, where foods like toast and waffles can offer a quick and easy meal solution for the whole family. Of course, bakery delivers on indulgence, too—with cakes, cookies, donuts, and a variety of pastries satisfying the need for moments of indulgence while also addressing the snacking occasion.

The Health Appeal of Bakery

Several bakery segments also appeal to consumers due to their potential health benefits. Fiber from whole grains, the inclusion of superfood ingredients like chia and hemp, and nutrient fortifications are just some examples. In addition, the growing popularity of keto/low carb diets has led to a variety of high protein bakery products.

To understand how important health and nutrient associated claims are to consumers when it comes to bakery products, FMCG Gurus asked consumers which claims they check for all or most of the time. For bread, high protein led (at 50%) as the claim that the most consumers look for.² In addition, 48% check for made with natural ingredients, 28% for low sugar, and 14% for high fiber.³

Consumer Interest in High Protein Bakery Products

Exploring this interest in high protein bakery further, Glanbia Nutritionals’ proprietary research found that at least 40% of consumers are somewhat or very interested in high protein pancakes, waffles, and muffins.⁴ Also, most consumers indicate they would be willing to pay more for these high protein versions. 

One in three consumers would pay $1-2 more, while one in four would be willing to pay $2-3 more.⁵ Overall, three-fourths of consumers are willing to pay somewhere between $1 and $4 more for these high protein bakery products.⁶ Kodiak Cakes is an example of a brand that has successfully tapped into consumers’ interest in expanded high protein bakery options with its popular high protein pancake and waffle mixes and muffin cups.

Protein Ingredient Solutions for Bakery

The high protein trend shows no signs of slowing, making protein fortification and front-of-package protein claims a great way for a bakery product to stand out on the shelf. Our line of OvenPro^TM high protein solutions for bakery allow a one-to-one flour replacement of up to 80% protein depending on the product. OvenPro ingredients are clean label, support protein and low net carbs claims, and work with your current baking process.

Learn more about our OvenPro solutions for breads, cakes, and more!

References

1-3. FMCG Gurus, Pre-Packaged Bakery Survey – USA, Q4, 2019.
4-6. Glanbia Nutritionals Proprietary Study, July 2020.