Bakers are pushing the pastry category forward with innovative varieties that put a spin on classic pastry offerings. 

“Hybrid pastries that combine elements from different desserts or cuisines are gaining popularity, with the cronut (croissant and donut), croffle (croissant and waffle) or cruffin (croissant and muffin) being well-known examples of this trend,” said Carolina More, marketing director, Europastry USA, Ronkonkoma, NY. 

Europastry USA has expanded its own line of a combination pastry: Breztels, a Danish pastry shaped like a pretzel. The innovative offering comes in flavors like Custard and Almond and Chocolate, as well as recent additions like Raspberry and Apple Cinnamon. 

“Our commitment to innovation is a key ingredient in all of our recipes,” Ms. More said. “Our passion for developing new and delicious creations drives us forward.”

And Dutchland Foods, Lester, Iowa, launched its own version of Kouign-amann, a round, laminated pastry made with butter and sugar. The company put its own take on the treat with the addition of a cinnamon filling.

“We took a product that normally has no filling and said, ‘Hey, let’s put a filling in it,’ ” said Monty Van Wyhe, vice president of operations and sales, Dutchland Foods. “We showed it to a customer, and they said, ‘Wow, these are really good; we want to sell these on our menu.’ ” 

Many retail and wholesale chains have sold the same pastry products for a long time, noted Malachi Van Wyhe, Dutchland Foods’ vice president of marketing, and are looking for new, signature items.

“They want to bring something fresh to their bakeries that’s new and exciting,” he said.

Consumers and operators are also seeking versatile pastries that can fulfill a variety of needs throughout the day.

“During the pandemic, we saw pastries selling throughout the day as opposed to typical morning hours because all-day snacking and all-day breakfast had become the norm,” explained said Raoul Dexters, country commercial manager USA, Vandemoortele USA, New York. “We’re continuing to see this trend: Consumers want adaptable products that are just as good for breakfast at 7 a.m. as they are for an afternoon snack at 4 p.m.” 

In response to these shifting behaviors, Vandemoortele’s Banquet d’Or brand recently rolled out a pinched croissant. 

“Since pastries are being sold throughout the day as opposed to just during breakfast hours, it’s important that they’re versatile,” Mr. Dexters said. “Our new pinched croissant has the added benefit of providing a canvas for consumers’ favorite sandwich fillings for all-day offerings.”

This versatility extends to an array of pastry sizes and package sizes that meet consumers’ varying needs. Banquet d’Or has seen increased demand for its mini pastries, for example, Mr. Dexters said. 

“Minis sell extremely well because consumers want a high-quality pastry that they can also enjoy on the go.”

Alan Jannings, general manager and chief commercial officer, Sweetmore Bakeries, Park Ridge, Ill., noted that smaller and multipack pastries are trending, often together. 

“Consumers are continuing to look for flavor variety while reducing portion size, especially in the sweets category, so they can indulge while mitigating the guilt,” he said.

In the perimeter, Circana reported significant double-digit unit growth for both assorted multipacks (61.4%) and trays (24.2%). In addition to flavor variety, consumers are opting for these packs because they provide better value, especially amid high inflation, noted Melissa Altobelli, principle, client insights, dairy and bakery vertical, Circana. 

Growing European influence   

European offerings are becoming more popular in supermarket assortments, Ms. More said, as international bakeries introduce new products with the hopes of establishing them in the United States. 

“These sweet treats are now a daily offering and are expected to grow in availability with seasonal opportunities,” she said. 

Lantmannen Unibake USA, St. Petersburg, Fla., is testing sweet goods from its European bakeries, including a Red Velvet Swirl from its UK bakery. The pastry combines flaky, European-style laminated dough with cake batter. 

“Our products are unique and higher quality than the domestically made products that you find in the market,” said Scott Rosenberg, director of marketing for the company. “American Danish is laminated at a higher rate, so it ends up being a ‘breadier’ product, and our dough, when you test it with consumers, compares to croissant-style dough.”

Galaxy Desserts, Richmond, Calif., is similarly debuting pastry innovations that have proved successful in France. The bakery, part of Les Cerqueux, France-based Brioche Pasquier, is expanding its line of Brioche To Go snack rolls, aimed at children and anyone needing a portable treat. Galaxy Desserts will also soon introduce Beignets To Go, a line of individually wrapped soft beignets. 

The company has additionally seen plenty of growth being driven by its 12-pack macaron in the in-store bakery.

“With their unique 15-day ambient shelf life, they are the perfect bite-size treat easy to gift to friends and share, or to keep to yourself,” said Charlotte Dubois, marketing manager, Galaxy Desserts.

Mr. Jannings observed that big brand cafes and upscale supermarkets have driven European pastry appeal to become an everyday offering.

“That appeal has trickled to in-store bakery offerings as a bar-raising of quality,” he explained. 

Meurer Brothers, a brand of Sweetmore Bakeries, offers 9-inch Danish coffee cakes, which combine layers of laminated dough with homemade jams and smears and streusel topping, as well as a crème coffee cake made with traditional French sweet dough.

Stores can further boost interest in these pastries, Ms. More added, creating limited-time offerings (LTOs) based on the origin and history of the products and their traditional recipes. 

“This provides a unique opportunity for people to taste and enjoy sweet pastries from all over the world, expanding their knowledge and culinary experiences,” she said. 

Opportunity in new flavors 

The pastry category is led by tried-and-true flavors like chocolate, cinnamon, apple and cheese. And while new flavors have emerged, Ms. Altobelli noted the category’s flavor innovation lags behind other baked goods. 

“There’s not as much going on in the flavor world for pastries,” she said. “I think it’s a huge opportunity area.”

Sweet and spicy flavors, for example, are winning across numerous baked good and snack categories and have started to appear in pastries, with the potential for much greater growth.  

“We’ve seen jalapeño cinnamon rolls or sriracha-glazed donuts,” she said. “Spicy flavors are growing significantly.” 

Savory pastries are gaining traction as well, Monty Van Wyhe said. His bakery has found success with its savory lattice croissants, which come in varieties such as Ham and Cheese and Spinach and Cheese. 

Europastry similarly offers a vegetable lattice pastry, as well as a hand-twisted, puff pastry cheese stick with a cream cheese filling. 

“International flavors and ingredients inspired by dishes from the Middle East, South Asia, South America and Portugal’s Pastel de Nata are also popular,” Ms. More said. “Pastries with bold and spicy flavors, fruity and exotic flavors, and unexpected fillings offer a unique sensory experience with their textures, colors, aromas and flavors.”

Innova Market Insights found that the fastest growing pastry flavors over the past five years include buttermilk, guava and apple crumble.

“Companies are also experimenting with less common US cake and pastry flavors like matcha, pistachio, key lime and salted caramel, among others,” Innova stated. 

Nostalgic flavors are another popular trend, Ms. Altobelli said, including offerings like apple pie and s’mores.

This article is an excerpt from the September 2023 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Pastries, click here.