CSM Bakery Solutions looks to spring/summer food trends
As the UK looks to exit its third lockdown, CSM Bakery Solutions is predicting the key trends and occasions for bakers and the hospitality industry as a whole, with a nod to outdoor entertaining, double birthday celebrations and nostalgia.
As the UK plans for a gradual and considered opening up, the key cake and food trends for bakers and the hospitality industry will continue the Covid-19 trend of turning to comfort eating, and will include a wide range of sweet and savoury products that cater for outdoor entertaining in the back garden and parks. According to CSM, it’s going to be a summer of individual treats including cupcakes, muffins and doughnuts as the population gets together in the specified numbers and treats themselves to picnics and dining al fresco. As so many parties and celebrations were cancelled last year, CSM predicts 2021 will see a number of mini celebrations with menus that include individual products, decorated in on-trend colours including purple, pinks and day glo. Double birthday celebrations are also expected to be a big hit for all ages from small children to adults as a result of so many missing out on celebrations last year. The “Lipstick Effect” will come into focus as psychologically consumers feel the necessity to treat themselves to affordable, small treats to help lift their mood in uncertain and difficult times.
As research shows that over 1/3 of all current bakery buyers aged 18-44 were interested in buying a vegan sweet treat, plant based products are also set to feature more prominently across all summer menus and CSM says that bakers can expect demand for them to continue throughout spring, summer and rest of the year. They are easy to include in ranges using specific vegan products such as Craigmillar’s new Vegan Cake Mix. It comes in two delicious flavours; Plain and Chocolate. The versatile mix is suitable for all types of bakes, so can work across the board from whole cakes and loaf tins, to individual portions such as cupcakes and muffins. The light, airy texture means that consumers can indulge in a delicious, golden treat with absolutely no compromise on taste or texture. The vegan trends will run alongside demands for more sustainable products, adds CSM. Bakers can make the most of this and look to produce products using margarine, which is made from plant oil using pressed fruit or seeds and should be clearly signposted in-store.
Decorations are set to make the most of purple and pink hues and reportedly include fairies as a major theme.
The comfort of opting for flavours that are familiar such as chocolate on its own or combined with fruits or other flavours across all products and toppings will also be a key feature, according to CSM.
Cristiana Ballarini, CSM Bakery Solutions’ activation director West, South & International, comments: “The forthcoming months will see an uptake in the number of outside eating occasions and the trend towards permissible indulgence will continue. The habit of snacking as people enjoy the outdoors more and being able to mingle with friends and family will mean that products such as muffins, cookies and doughnuts will be in on trend and in demand for eating on a park bench with a friend, a small family picnic or within the homes bubble. Double birthday celebrations, the colour purple and fairies are all set to be the themes of the summer. We also know that the focus on plant-based products and sustainability is here to stay and one that should be taken seriously with a nod to vegan and plant-based products such as margarine being used to produce delicious cakes.”
