On the rise: how speciality breads are winning over consumers
Speciality bread is a growing market, with UK consumers developing a taste for the long-fermented likes of sourdough, focaccia, ciabatta, brioche, baguettes, and rye bread.
Not only is more speciality bread being bought – volumes are up 9.4% from 78.6m loaves in 2021 to 86m in 2024 [Circana MAT data] – the frequency of consumption has also grown.
“Our insights show that speciality bread will ride the wave of popularity as we move into 2025,” comments Andy Pearson, category & insights manager at bakery supplier Lantmännen Unibake. “Once a weekend or special treat, it is now a normalised purchase with many consumers buying it as part of their weekly shop.”
So what trends are driving the growth of speciality breads? Which brands are tapping into them? And how are own-label lines performing?
Healthier choices
Consumers are increasingly aware of the difference diet makes to their health, and this extends to staples such as bread.
Bakels group marketing manager Michael Schofield notes how diets that are low in fibre are known to contribute to the development of diseases such as bowel cancer and heart disease. “This has directly impacted demand for healthier bread, particularly multiseed, sourdough, and rye,” he adds.
British Bakels launched its Country Oven Multiseed Bread Concentrate 20 years ago, which has since proven to be its most successful product to date. The 50/50 concentrate contains sunflower, pumpkin and linseeds to grant a source of fibre and protein while supporting the immune system and metabolism. “Bread with a high fibre content remains as key a focus going into 2025, as it’s always been,” reveals Schofield.
Bread brands have been trying to boost retail sales by launching NPD aligned with the health trend. For example, Biona came out with a trio of high fibre products last October, and Robert Andrew unveiled its new Low-carb Sourdough branded range in December.
Ingenious inclusions
The practice of adding ancient grains to bread is growing in popularity as they help improve nutrition, flavour, and sustainability claims. Last year, Gail’s reformulated four of its bestselling loaves with emmer, spelt, rye, and barley to achieve just this. A similar combination was used in the Sprouted Ancient Grain Sourdough from Cambridge-based Stir Bakery, which saw it claim Speciality Bread Product of the Year at the 2024 Baking Industry Awards.
Rye, meanwhile, is a particular favourite of Lovingly Artisan, which has recently partnered with a fellow Cumbrian business to grow the crop, which it will then mill itself for use in its breads. And Baker Street nearly doubled its annual revenue thanks to the retail performance of its wrapped rye bread range.
Inclusions in speciality breads that go beyond classic olive breads is a trend to watch out for, believes Pearson at Lantmännen Unibake. These offer a mix of flavour and aromatic notes with a sun-kissed Mediterranean taste. “Think ripe sundried tomato, cheese and pesto paired with herbaceous basil, oregano, chives, fennel, paprika and black pepper,” he says.
Like the trend for multi-sensory experiences in sweet bakery toppings and fillings, there is also a ‘contrast’ trend emerging in loaves in which flavours and textures give for added effect. Pearson lists the likes of crunchy nuts, juicy fruits, rich spices, and bitter coffee that combine in “providing a richer and more indulgent eat”.
All sweet in sourdough
Another significant supporter of the health trend is sourdough, which provides a fuel source for good gut microbes.
Studies have also shown that the long-fermentation process enables the enrichment of B12 and improves protein digestibility, says Lantmännen Unibake’s Pearson. “The acids render the gluten in the flour more digestible, making it less likely to lead to a food intolerance,” he adds.
Appetite for sourdough products continues to grow, with no signs of slowing down. Circana data for the 12w/e 18 January 2025 has the sourdough category up by a whopping 56% year on year. This growth comes from “both brands and own-label, which work in conjunction with each other to provide consumers with a range of choice”, according to Charlotte McCready, category manager - artisan at Finsbury Food Group.
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Stéphanie Brillouet, marketing director at baked goods manufacturer Délifrance, meanwhile, points to Circana data for the 52w/e 28 December 2024 that reports that 29% of consumers are seeking sourdough when eating out-of-home. She advises both retail and foodservice operators to stock sourdough lines and menu items that can tap into this demand while helping consumers understand the flavour qualities and digestive benefits of them.
Sourdough typically has fewer ingredients than traditional breads, thus the ongoing debate on ultra-processed food has drawn a lot of consumers to the category. It is also favoured by younger shoppers looking to replicate out-of-home occasions inside their own abodes. “Sourdough may be considered more of an indulgence product, but as a result of the boost in ‘treat-time’ purchases in Gen-Z and Millennials, customers are happy to spend a little more to make something that delivers delicious flavour and feels social media-friendly,” comments Finsbury’s McCready.
A standout year
By far the fastest growing speciality bread brand at retailers in recent times is Jason’s Sourdough, produced by Leicester-based Geary’s Bakeries. Sales have more than doubled for four straight years, hitting £36.3m compared to £15.2m the year prior (NIQ GB Total Coverage data for the 52 w/e 7 September 2024). This saw it catapulted from eighth up to fourth place in the rankings of the top bread brands behind the big three of Warburtons, Hovis, and Kingsmill. To cap things off, Jason’s Sourdough scooped the inaugural Bakery Brand of the Year at the Baking Industry Awards 2024.
“Our mission has always been to challenge conventional bakery industry norms while delivering high-quality sourdough made with simple ingredients at scale,” comments fourth generation master baker Jason Geary, adding that its strategy has driven remarkable results with household penetration continuing to grow at speed and more listing in existing retail partners.
The brand’s success granted Geary’s the confidence to make a £35m investment in a new 95,000 sq ft manufacturing facility built over the road from its existing bakery in Glenfield. Scheduled to be operational in the spring, it will more than double the company’s production capacity. “The expansion will strengthen our position as a leader in the premium bread category,” says Geary, who is expecting sourdough to become even more widely available across supermarket shelves.
Jason’s Sourdough is also seizing the opportunity presented by a “huge resurgence” of the food-to-go market in the last year. Its new range of toasties and hot rolls, launched in partnership with Around Noon last autumn, feature on-trend fillings as kimchi and nduja as well as classics like ham and cheese & onion. “Designed specifically to heat in the packaging in the Foodservice combi-ovens such as the Merrychef and stand in hot hold cabinets, these hot rolls provide a premium, high quality experience for on-the-go consumers,” notes Geary.
Brioche boom
Over in the brioche category, its St Pierre that’s been a tour de force in 2024.
Among the accolades it laid claim to last year was being the fastest growing bakery brand in all three main meal occasions – breakfast, lunch, and dinner (IRI Circana Total Grocery Outlets data for the 52w/e 5 October 2024). ”Its growth of 45% in value and volume is difficult to miss,” remarks Rachel Wells, commercial director at St Pierre Groupe.
Ahead of the expected sales spike for the summer BBQ season, St Pierre launched its first above-the-line creative campaign entitled ’Eat Avec Respect’ across TV screens, in-store activations, PR, social, and digital media. ”With a premium brand like St Pierre, we need to focus our energies on increasing penetration and an effective above the line campaign is a great way to do just that,” says Wells.
St Pierre says it has seen consumers switch from traditional traditional bakery such as sliced bread to more innovative and inspirational meal occasions, using the likes of brioche buns or loaves to replicate out-of-home treats at home. As such, St Pierre plans to continue to deliver its products that drive category growth for retailers through 2025 and beyond.
Wells notes that continental bakery items has been in the top three fastest growing categories since 2019, and is where the brand’s strength lies. “So for St Pierre, the opportunity is incredibly exciting,” she adds.
Own-label honours
Despite robust demand remaining for branded speciality bread products, which command a strong emotional connection with many shoppers, in-store bakeries (ISB) continue to be a cornerstone for supermarkets. They offer a unique space to appeal to budget-conscious consumers while driving differentiation through premium options.
“The dominance of own-label in ISB is clear, with speciality loaves leading the charge at an impressive 10% year-on-year growth,” states Brillouet at Délifrance, citing Circana data for the 52 w/e 28 Dec 2024. Sales of seeded varieties is tracking even further ahead of the overall category growth, clocking in at +15% year on year.
Brillouet also singles out baguettes as gaining traction among ISB shoppers, who associate them with freshness – a hallmark of premium bread. “By focusing on freshly baked, premium-quality own-label items, operators can meet customer expectations while reinforcing their value proposition during times of economic uncertainty,” she adds.
Be it for reasons of health, taste, or a combination of the two, the demand for speciality breads is set for another year of growth with brands and supermarkets continuing to cater towards it.
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