Comments from Ross Lowrey-Heywood, Innovation Development Manager at Finsbury Food Group and Liam Stringfellow, Brand Marketing Manager at Finsbury Food Group.
Which flavour combinations will be big in bakery this summer?
Ross Lowrey-Heywood, Innovation Development Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said: “This summer is all about bold, vibrant flavours that still feel familiar and comforting. We’re seeing strong demand for bright fruit flavours like cherry, lime, lemon and strawberry, alongside Asian-inspired flavours such as matcha and yuzu.
Cherry paired with creamy vanilla notes is a big one to watch, while citrus-led products continue to perform strongly because they bring freshness and vibrancy to bakery ranges. Matcha is also continuing to build momentum, particularly among younger consumers who are drawn to its visual appeal and social media aesthetic.
Texture is just as important as flavour, too. Consumers want that full sensory experience, whether that’s a crunchy biscuit crumb, flaky pastry or layered dessert-inspired formats.”
What are the driving forces behind them? What trends/consumer need do they tap into?
Ross Lowrey-Heywood, Innovation Development Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said: “Consumers are looking for bakery products that feel more seasonal, experience-led and visually exciting. Social media has accelerated trends massively, so products now need to stand out straight away through flavour, texture and appearance.
People still want indulgence, but they also want products that feel new and worth talking about, whether that’s through limited-edition flavours, layered formats or trend-led concepts. At Finsbury, we’re constantly looking at how we can react quickly to emerging trends and bring those ideas into retail in a way that still feels accessible for shoppers.”
Liam Stringfellow, Brand Marketing Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said “Consumers are becoming much more interested in seasonal, ingredient-led bakery products, particularly ones that feel fresh, different and tied to a specific moment or occasion. We’re also seeing growing demand for themed activations and limited-time offers, with brands looking to create more unique dining experiences for consumers rather than just launching another product.
At Kara, that’s something we specialise in, working closely with customers to develop trend-led LTOs through tailored briefs and our innovation and development team.” (Trending in Bakery, March 2026).
Which bakery formats will win over consumers and what occasions are they best suited to?
Ross Lowrey-Heywood, Innovation Development Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said “Portable, shareable and individually portioned formats will continue to perform strongly throughout summer, particularly for picnics, barbecues and food-to-go occasions.
Traybakes, dessert bars, brownies and bento-style cakes are especially popular because they combine indulgence with convenience. Our new Little Big Cake Millionaires Bento Cake Box is a good example of that trend, tapping into demand for visually exciting and easily shareable bakery products.
Little Big Cake also gives us the flexibility to react quickly to emerging flavour and format trends and test new concepts at pace.”
How do these trends (and the resultant products) differ between the ranges at major retailers and suitable for picnics and barbecues as well as food to go?
Ross Lowrey-Heywood, Innovation Development Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said “Craft bakeries are usually the first to really experiment with new flavours and formats because they can move quickly and take more risks. That’s often where trends like globally inspired flavours, loaded pastries and more premium bakery concepts start before they move into the wider market.
Coffee shops then help bring those trends to a broader audience by turning them into more premium seasonal launches or food-to-go products, while retailers focus on scaling those ideas in a way that feels accessible for everyday shoppers.
Consumers are constantly looking for newness now, so brands have to react much faster than before. At Finsbury, having brands like Little Big Cake gives us the flexibility to test emerging trends quickly and see what resonates before concepts move further into mainstream retail.”
Liam Stringfellow, Brand Marketing Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said “We can see major retailers increasingly targeting large collaborations as a way of promoting NPD and reaching new audiences, something that smaller craft bakeries can struggle to do. These co-branded items help trade-up spend without requiring a full menu overhaul, while also generating real buzz among consumers.” (Lumina Operator Data Index, May 2026).
What innovation can we expect to see when it comes to savoury bakery items, particularly those suitable for picnics and barbecues as well as food to go?
Ross Lowrey-Heywood, Innovation Development Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said “Savoury bakery is becoming much more occasion-led, particularly around picnics, barbecues and food-to-go.
We’re seeing growing demand for elevated picnic products, including loaded focaccias, premium sausage rolls, and globally inspired flavour combinations influenced by Korean barbecue and chimichurri flavours. The humble sausage roll remains a brilliant format for innovation because it’s familiar, portable and versatile, while still allowing brands to introduce exciting new flavour combinations.”
Liam Stringfellow, Brand Marketing Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said “As consumers look for new tasting experiences, we expect to see more premium brioche and flavoured buns emerging, alongside burger pairing products outside of the bakery category.
With the rise of GLP-1 weight loss medication users, we’re also seeing increased demand for snacking and smaller portion formats. At Kara, we recently launched a Gourmet Slider Bun within our wholesale bakery range, designed to support food-to-go occasions and more flexible eating habits.”
Are there any other trends expected to be big in bakery this summer? What are they?
Ross Lowrey-Heywood, Innovation Development Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said: “We’re definitely seeing consumers gravitate towards brighter, fresher flavour profiles during the summer months. Citrus remains really strong, particularly flavours like lime and lemon, because they bring that freshness people associate with warmer weather and lighter bakery products.
There’s also still a big focus on visually exciting bakery, especially products with layered fillings, loaded toppings and strong texture contrasts. Consumers are really leaning into nostalgic biscuit flavours and texture-led products at the moment too, which is something we’re seeing continue to shape modern bakery trends.
That’s one of the reasons why we’ve launched the new Asda Custard Cream Cake, as consumers are still demanding those familiar biscuit-inspired flavours combined with indulgent textures and formats.”
Liam Stringfellow, Brand Marketing Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said: “There are strong signs of citrus being a leader in summer innovation, with lime, lemon and tropical flavours leading the way. We’re also seeing melon profiles emerging more strongly in Asian markets, which the UK continues to take strong influence from (Trending in Bakery, March 2026).
Consumers are increasingly looking for products that feel fresh, different and seasonal, particularly across premium and limited-edition bakery launches.”
What impact does the weather have on the performance of summer- themed baked goods?
Ross Lowrey-Heywood, Innovation Development Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said: “Warmer weather naturally shifts demand towards lighter, fruit-led and more portable bakery products. Food-to-go becomes increasingly important during summer, especially products linked to meal deals, picnics and outdoor occasions.
Our new Co-op Key Lime Bars are a great example of a product designed specifically around seasonal summer demand, with bright citrus flavours that tap into what consumers want during warmer months while still delivering indulgence. Portability is also increasingly important, particularly for outdoor social occasions and food-to-go occasions.”
How are bakers and retailers tapping into these trends?
Liam Stringfellow, Brand Marketing Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said: “Themed food pairings and limited-time offers are becoming much bigger across bakery and foodservice. They’re behaving less like simple menu tests now and more like full cultural moments that create excitement around a brand or product launch (Lumina Operator Data Index, May 2026).
Consumers want to feel like they’re part of something new and exclusive, especially when products are tied to giveaways, competitions or seasonal campaigns. That creates a real urgency to try products before they disappear from shelves.”
Burger and hotdog buns come to the fore during barbecue season. What innovation can we expect to see in this market? Are there any existing items which could be utilised here?
Liam Stringfellow, Brand Marketing Manager at Finsbury Food Group, said “As consumers look for new tasting experiences, we expect to see more premium offerings across the barbecue market, particularly with brioche and flavoured buns becoming more popular.
There’s also growing interest in burger pairing products and more elevated food-to-go options outside of traditional bakery categories. At Kara, we’re continuing to innovate across our portfolio, with hotdog roll developments currently in progress alongside premium burger buns designed to support both foodservice and wholesale customers.”
