Buckle up. The top trend driving innovation in the snack and bakery industries has no formal definition, isn't regulated, and is shifting all of the time. Yes, clean label demands are touching every facet of the food industry, from formulation to packaging and marketing, and everything in between.

Panera Bread opens a bakery in New Haven, Conn., to test new products, reimagine favorites and experiment with staffing models.

The Pittsfield, NH, manufacturer of ready-made pizza crusts and flatbread pizzas will break ground on a new facility on Aug. 14 as well as launch a program honoring first responders.

Aldi recently released its lineup of food and beverage, lifestyle products, and seasonal products for the autumn season. 

Aldi recently announced its lineup of food and beverage products for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and autumn.

An expert from the ingredients supplier discusses the call for healthy indulgence.

In response to consumer scrutiny, snack and bakery brands hustle to achieve a “clean label.”

Available from leading ingredient suppliers, egg replacers offer bakers readily available, cost-effective egg alternatives.

The aftermath of the avian influenza outbreak reveals multiple ingredient options for bakers.

In today’s highly competitive snack and bakery market, collaboration between ingredient and equipment supplies and their customers continues to grow more common.

The snack and bakery industry is filled with wonderful stories. Writing about the origins, growth and scope of the amazing companies that grace our covers is absolutely one of the best aspects of my job.

So much of this industry is about creating meaningful connections. Successful products that generate long-lasting repeat purchase patters resonate with their consumers.

Rarely does a week go by without the topic of workforce development crossing my desk. It's a problematic situation that’s central to industry performance as we deal with present challenges—and look toward the future.

One of the best parts of my job is traveling around this great country to visit with snack and bakery companies, some of which have helped define this industry for over a century. I'm always humbled to hear their pioneering stories of perseverance and success - and honored with the privilege of telling their stories to the world.

There is nothing like a pandemic to test a company's limitations. While food producers received official designation as "essential" businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic descended on the American food industry, continuing operations during the pandemic did not equate to business as usual.

Near the end of December 2019, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, Wuhan City, China, reported several pneumonia cases that officials eventually tied to a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, now generally known as COVID-19.

This past year was unlike any other throughout our history as a nation, and the snack and bakery industry saw significant impact.

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.

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.

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

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 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. 

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

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

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.

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

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.

Advances in packaging materials continue to extend shelf life, while adding convenience and freshness to bakery and snack goods. Innovations in modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP), microbial-inhibiting film, and the use of cellulose nanocrystals are helping to push the envelope.

Since the beginning of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began its destructive spread across the earth, the baking industry has seen highs and lows unlike any other time in history. This unprecedented challenge has reshaped our world, and much of the industry is emerging stronger than ever.

Eating occasions and flavor directions factor into industry activity and planning.

Like the original Sara Lee Angel Food Cake, this line extension is fully baked and ready to simply thaw, slice, and serve.

This month’s eMagazine explores the field’s current health and future success.

Producers face ongoing pressures, but they keep demonstrating their strength.

Speakers set to present include experts from Circana, SNAC International, and ABA.