Suppliers of both ingredients and ready-to-eat products are bullish on the future of pastries in instore bakeries.

In recent years, Vandemoortele’s ISB pastry roster has evolved from just a handful of products to a complete range of about 80 products, said Raoul Dexters, country commercial manager for the US.

“Vandemoortele has 26 production facilities in Europe with thousands of SKUs, so we’re able to service all North American retailers and foodservice customers.”

Butter Croissants remain a top pastry seller for Vandemoortele — thanks, Dexters said, to the company’s Bake’Up technology, which creates a stable, high-quality product with traditional European ingredients, combined with additional savings in storage, transportation and labor.

“With Bake’Up’s freezer-to-oven ease, retailers can deliver authentic European pastries in just 25 minutes,” Dexters said.

Bake’Up is a perfect solution for retailers facing labor shortages, Dexters said. The process’s simplicity reduces training time and necessary prior knowledge, while still producing a consistent, delicious product.

Thanks to Butter Croissants’ huge popularity, Vandemoortele has expanded the line to include croissants filled with strawberry, raspberry and custard.

Other top pastry sellers for the company include the Chocolate Twist, Maple Pecan Plait and Salted Caramel Plait.

Savory pastries that have made good traction in ISBs include the Cheese Twist, Spinach Feta and authentic Italian Focaccia.

Across all categories, Dexters said mini versions of its products are big sellers because of the convenience they offer both retailers and consumers.

“Specifically with pastries, consumers want to snack on the go. We see the same need for on-the-go with desserts.”

By providing pre-sliced pies and cakes, he said, Vandemoortele is able to give retailers the choice to thaw and serve smaller portions based on their consumers’ on-the-go needs.

Vandemoortele pastries are a great fit for ISBs, Dexters said, because of the company’s “consistent innovation,” whose goal is to make bakers’ lives easier while providing consumers with a delicious product.

Going natural

Barry Callebaut also sells a variety of products that can be used by pastry manufacturers, including chocolate batons or almond paste for the inside of croissants, said Chef Mark Seaman, CMSA, culinary applications chef, specialties, for the company.

Barry Callebaut also offers a wide range of decorations and toppings that can be used at the store level to add visual appeal to donuts, tarts, a simple chocolate pencil piece to finish off a cake and more.

One pastry trend Barry Callebaut has seen in recent years and continues to track is a move towards more natural colors in in-store bakery products, said Charlotte Romero, the company’s manager for in-store bakery.

To meet that demand, Barry Callebaut developed naturally colored chocolate curls that can be used to decorate various pastries sold in the ISB.

In 2024, look for strong demand for better-for-you indulgence, with consumers demanding desserts with no artificial colors or flavors, said Marit Allen, Barry Callebaut’s market segment development manager for bakery. 

“The consumer has spoken and ISBs are listening,” Allen said. “You’ll see other states following California’s lead by banning red food dye 3.”

Barry Callebaut is “very proud” of its baking sticks, Seaman said.

“Imagine laminated dough wrapped around a Belgian baton and baked to perfection. Chefs from around the world ask for them by name.”

In addition, he added, Barry Callebaut decorations like Crispearls, Vermicelli and Chocolate Flakes create a “feast for the eyes” as well as great mouth feel for pastries sold in ISBs. Barry Callebaut large network of chefs helps the company keep on top of the latest trends in pastries and how those trends can best be applied in ISBs. And the company’s Consumer Insights team is always trying to better understand today’s consumers, Romero said.

“In pastries, we believe consumers are looking for, on the one hand, intense indulgence through various textures — visually appealing products and chocolate abundance. On the other hand, they’re also looking for mindful indulgences such as pastries with healthier ingredients or one’s that are inclusive to various diets.”

This article is an excerpt from the February 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Pastries feature and more in the digital edition here.