Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for snack and bakery companies to improve safety, production, and efficiency.

Reviewing and revising sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Compact belts and conveyors for snack and bakery production meet demands for cleanability and automation.

Throughout the year, whenever you pick up a sandwich away from home, there is a good chance you have Bimbo Bakehouse to thank for your bread.

Lest anyone think that the pandemic pressed "pause" on campaigns for corporate sustainability, think again. If anything, COVID-19 reminded consumers, and the snack and bakery sectors, just how interconnected we are, whether we’re selecting suppliers, expanding production, or packing a protein bar into our gym bags.

As the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic descended upon America in early 2020, the American population began reacting to their new reality, and it was clear that snack and bakery production across the country would face a clear challenge. People were stocking up on supplies at an alarming rate, and the rush was on to keep grocery store shelves stocked.

The snack and bakery industry continues to face a difficult road when it comes to staffing. Challenges related to filling open positions for skilled and unskilled production personnel have persisted for years. But the past several months have proven particularly trying as employers seek to fill available jobs with individuals from an increasingly wary, pandemic-weary America.

SF&WB connected with several industry suppliers to gain their current market perspectives for the coming year.

"In 1970, my dad and uncle opened our first restaurant," says Daniel Schwartz, president, Schwartz Brothers Bakery, Renton, WA. "Three years later, they opened a concept called The Sandwich Shop and Pie Place. They were looking to source the very best pies to serve at their restaurant, and they couldn’t find any that they liked."

State of the Industry Overview for bakery, including a look at baking industry challenges like the supply chain, workforce development, impact from the war in Europe, and the pandemic.

For the past several years, the baking industry has faced a long list of serious, ongoing challenges.

This year marks 20 years of MTN DEW's Baja Blast and to celebrate the "Bajaversary," Frito-Lay's Doritos brand has teamed up with MTN DEW to add Doritos Baja Fiery Mango to its lineup.

The chip will make its theatrical movie debut in The Garfield Movie in May, and is celebrating with a limited-edition Garfield-themed bag, a larger-than-life mural, and more.

Nuts and seeds are growing in popularity due to an increase in healthy snacking and consumer interest in plant-based products. According to Innova Market Insights, 7 in 10 U.S. consumers sought healthier snacking options in 2018.

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommends consuming 2 cup equivalents of fruit and 2 and a half cup equivalents of vegetables per day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Limagrain Ingredients has developed Pep's Balls: a new range of extruded pulses to enrich products with plant-based proteins, without any compromise on taste and offering a great mouthfeel.

Inclusions such as fruits, vegetables, and chocolate can add another dimension of visual appeal, flavor, and texture to snacks and baked goods.

Innovative inclusions are geared toward delighting snack and bakery consumers while delivering BFY benefits.

The items include Cinnabon churros, Auntie Anne’s pretzels, and Subway cookies.

The mother-daughter company seeks to provide treats that bring people together.

Grocery retailers across the country now have even more choices to offer in-store bakery shoppers when it comes to pies.

The ongoing pandemic has certainly shifted consumer attitudes and behaviors when it come to foods and the foods they choose. Consumers are looking to connect with food and are gravitating to more familiar comfort foods and indulgent items.

All of Magnolia Bakery's holiday products below are available to ship nationwide right to consumers' doors.

The changes include recently reformulated dairy-free cheese that uses oat milk, as well as a new meatless pepperoni recipe.

Two of the producer’s Wings flavors, Buffalo and Korean BBQ, will be offered at more than 100 of the stores across the U.S.

The limited-time items released by the chain feature a wide range of sweet treats, savory snacks, holiday products, and more.

To bring this product to market, the Magnolia Bakery team worked for over three years to create a banana pudding that met the brand’s high product standards and also met consumers' needs. 

Hardee's is offering the biscuits all day long in packs of one, two, or four.

The bite-sized snacks are filled with hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chai, flax, and quinoa, and are Manitoba’s debut into the snacking category.

The addition of AAK Foodservice, Hillside aligns with Stratas Foods’ long-term growth objectives, particularly within the value-added oils, dressings, sauces, and mayonnaise categories.

Canyon Bakehouse's newest addition to its gluten-free lineup will be available nationwide this fall.

Brioche brand moves into bake at home market, with a new range of authentic French baguettes and rolls.

The new packaging delivers not only an all-new look but additional proficiencies that make the product even better, for longer. 

Cranberry Walnut Loaf and Savory Holiday Rolls hit store shelves nationwide.

The new sandwiches, starting at $9.99, including Green Goddess Caprese Melt, Pepperoni Mozzarella Melt, and Smoky Buffalo Chicken Melt. 

Available in a fully sliced and thaw and serve format, the product is a convenient labor-lean option for operators, requiring little to no prep and minimal employee training.

After a brief production hiatus, the La Brea Bakery Brioche Bun returns as a plant-based bread that embodies the same hallmark buttery flavor and crumb of a traditional brioche.

The item offers consumers a better-for-you alternative to a traditional sandwich bun.

The bakery consulting company shares insights from its three decades of history.

The brand is returning two favorites to shelves: its Cranberry Walnut Loaf and Take & Bake Savory Holiday Rolls.

Hardee's will offer its Made from Scratch Buttermilk Biscuits in the shape of a heart on all breakfast sandwiches Feb. 1–14.

Reportedly boasting a high glossy crown, soft texture, and clean flavor, each bun is crafted with the same natural starters, slow fermentation process, and simple ingredients that Ace Bakery is known for.

With this latest product launch, Calise Bakery is expanding its lineup of signature rolls and sourdough products.

A leader from the company outlines the items in its new line of artisan buns.

In the award-winning FX television drama The Bear, bread plays a crucial roll—namely, the hinged Italian rolls used in crafting Chef Carmen Berzatto’s famous beef sandwiches.

Consumers can experience Artisan French Dinner Rolls and Baguette & Sandwich Rolls fresh in their own kitchen in minutes.

LUNA, a Clif Bar & Co. brand, has expanded its product portfolio with three decadent dark chocolate flavors.

Equipment manufacturers offering scales and checkweighers now offer systems that feature data connectivity, hygienic design, high speeds, improved accuracy, less waste and the ability to maintain traceability. And in addition to all these improvements, today’s scales and checkweighers are easier to use than earlier models.

Tradition is the foundation that grounds much of the bakery industry’s continued success. We see this immutable fact across nearly every category, with leading companies selling billions of dollars of traditional baked goods that have long stood the test of time. These are core products beloved by millions of shoppers.

The bars category continues show good to strong levels of growth, with sufficiently diversified product offerings to appeal to nearly every type of shopper. Few product categories so seamlessly fit into today’s on-the-go lifestyle suited to on-demand snacking.