Many producers are pairing their bun and roll offerings with cleaner labels and other BFY attributes, attracting health-conscious shoppers and commanding a higher price point. 

“Consumers are willing to pay more for breads that meet health halos and have BFY ingredients,” said said Brie Buenning, director of marketing and La Brea Bakery brand manager, Aspire Bakeries. “In order for the buns and rolls category to maintain and increase the upward consumer demand trajectory, the breads must embody freshness, great flavor and texture, and ingredients that support important health halos.”

Clean labels have been a growing focus at Crown Bakeries, said Yianny Caparos, president, Crown Bakeries, Brentwood, Tenn. He observed that the shift away from high fructose corn syrup in buns, rolls and other bread products is here to stay. 

“We believe health-conscious consumers will continue to educate themselves and be more selective about preferred ingredients,” he said. “Accordingly, we have prioritized the commercialization of several clean label products. Many of these new items are made with alternative fats and oils, ranging from all butter to sustainable palm oil, and the latest in natural preservative innovation, such as rowanberry extract.”

The low- and no-carb trend is dominating among BFY bakery launches, and buns and rolls are no exception. Hero Bread, for example, launched Hawaiian Rolls this year featuring zero net carbs or sugars. YuChiang Cheng, chief executive officer of the San-Francisco based company, described the dinner roll category as “quietly massive.” 

“With $1.1 billion in sales — mostly dominated by Hawaiian rolls — we see a big opportunity to be the BFY leader in this space,” he said. “Our strong direct-to-consumer launch of the product showed incredible customer love and sold out quickly. We’re offering cleaner ingredients, better nutrition and the same (or better) taste and texture as the original Hawaiian roll.”

Cheng said he’s also seen greater demand for bread items with added fiber, protein and prebiotic benefits.

“But the biggest universal health benefit we believe in is lowering the sugar intake of all consumers,” he said. 

Other producers are carving out an entirely new space in the BFY category. Anthony & Sons Bakery, Denville, NJ, for example, introduced an avocado bread line under The Avocado Bread Co. brand, becoming the first bakery to use avocados in its bread. The line, which includes dinner rolls, ciabatta buns and sliced bread, has seen a “tremendous” response from consumers, the company said, and will soon be the company’s No. 1 seller. 

“We have seen avocados significantly increase in popularity in the foodservice sector over the past few years, especially in creations like avocado toast,” said Baldo Datollo, president and CEO of Anthony & Sons. “Newer generations now more than ever are prioritizing clean label brands, which is something our company values and upholds in every product. The incorporation of avocados and nutrient-dense seeds and grains aligns with many consumers’ desire for nutritious, flavorful and innovative food alternatives.”

BFY powerhouse Dave’s Killer Bread, a brand of Flowers Foods, Thomasville, Ga., entered the rolls category with the launch of Organic Rock ‘N’ Rolls. The multigrain rolls contain 12 grams of whole grains per serving, are Non-GMO Project verified and have no artificial ingredients, preservatives or colors, high fructose corn syrup, or bleached flour.

On the foodservice side, Datassential’s Menu Trends report for Q1 2024 found that multigrain sandwich carriers increased over 4% across menus over the past year.

This article is an excerpt from the May 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Buns & Rolls, click here.