The bakery industry is entering 2026 with real momentum. Globally, baked goods already represent a market of more than half a trillion dollars and are projected to grow steadily toward 700–900 billion dollars by 2030, driven by urbanization, rising incomes and constant product innovation.
At the same time, the context around that growth is changing fast. Cities are getting bigger, populations are aging in some regions and getting younger in others, and consumers are far more intentional about what they eat and how it is produced. There are now more than 30 megacities worldwide, each with over 10 million inhabitants, concentrating purchasing power and accelerating demand for packaged foods and bakery products.
For industrial bakeries, 2026 is not just “more of the same.” It is a year where health, indulgence, sustainability and automation converge on the production floor.
Below is a strategic look at the forces that will shape baked goods and industrial bakery operations in the coming year.
1. Protein moves from niche to norm
Health and wellness are no longer side trends. Around 67% of consumers now say they choose food based on its health benefits, and protein has become one of the most desired attributes on the bakery label.
Nearly 3 in 10 shoppers already check packaging for protein content, a figure that climbs even higher in some regions. Online conversations about protein-enriched baked goods are forecast to grow another 17% in 2026, with searches for “protein bread” and “high protein dessert” continuing to rise.
What this means for industrial bakeries:
- Everyday categories such as sandwich bread, buns and cookies are being reformulated with added plant or dairy proteins.
- Doughs become heavier and more hydrated, demanding precise mixing, handling and dividing to maintain structure and softness at scale.
- Lines that once ran standard white or brown recipes must now switch seamlessly between enriched, seeded and protein-boosted variants during the day.
The opportunity is clear: bakeries that can reliably produce high-protein, “functional indulgence” products without sacrificing eating quality will win shelf space and loyalty
2. Texture becomes the new signature
In 2026, texture is as important as taste. Research shows 71% of consumers say texture is a key driver of food enjoyment, and 67% are actively looking for new texture experiences.
This is fueling the rise of “texture mashups”; products that combine crunchy with chewy, crispy with soft, or flaky layers with creamy fillings. Crunchy and crusty profiles are especially in demand, with online conversations about crunchy bakery textures expected to increase by around 19% in 2026, after strong growth in 2025.
For industrial production, this raises the bar for process control:
- Sheeting and laminating systems must create repeatable layers that deliver a defined “texture signature.”
- Vision systems can help monitor crust color, crumb openness and topping distribution in real time.
- Changeovers between soft rolls, seeded crusts and laminated specialties need to be fast, without compromising consistency.
Texture is becoming a core part of brand identity. The products that stand out will be the ones whose bite feels as carefully engineered as their flavor.
3. Sourdough moves from trend to supertrend
Few developments are as striking as the five-year rise of sourdough. Global data shows sourdough is again the number one talked-about bakery trend, and consumer interest has more than tripled in recent years, reaching its highest point ever in 2025 and continuing upward into 2026.
The reasons are clear:
- 58% of consumers believe sourdough makes bread healthier, often linked to better digestibility and gut health.
- 70% say it improves flavor, delivering deeper, more complex profiles.
- Product launches featuring a sourdough claim have increased by 31% worldwide, with a further 33% growth forecast for 2026, and not only in bread but also in sweet goods and snacks.
For industrial bakeries, sourdough is no longer a boutique project. It requires:
- Long, controlled fermentation with stable temperature and humidity over many hours.
- Gentle dough handling to preserve gas cells and structure at high throughput.
- Accurate proofing profiles to balance flavor, volume and crust.
The winners will be bakeries that can deliver authentic sourdough character with the reliability and efficiency of a fully automated line.
4. Pizza, pinsa and the next generation of flatbreads
The global pizza category continues to grow, with long-term projections pushing the market well beyond 200 billion dollars in the coming decade. Within that category, new formats are rewriting expectations.
On one side, consumers are embracing lighter, highly fermented bases such as pinsa, with airy crumb structures and crisp crusts that promise “better-for-you” indulgence through long fermentation and high hydration.
On the other, rich styles with caramelized edges, generous toppings and bold visual signatures continue to define pizza as the ultimate comfort food.
These movements create complex manufacturing demands:
- Lines must handle very wet, fermented doughs without degassing them.
- Sheeting and pressing systems need to support diverse formats, from oval pinsa to pan pizzas and Roman-style slabs.
- Hybrid or multi-zone ovens must deliver different bake profiles within the same system to support mixed SKU programs.
Pizza and flatbread lines that combine gentle dough handling, flexible shaping and precise thermal control are becoming strategic assets for bakeries that want to stay ahead of this evolution.
5. Clean label, authenticity and “real” recipes
Alongside innovation, there is a strong pull back to simplicity. Consumers are scrutinizing ingredient lists and seeking products that feel less processed and more “real.”
Clean label has moved beyond buzzword status:
- A growing share of new bakery launches highlight short, recognizable ingredient lists and the absence of artificial additives or preservatives.
- Heritage and traditional recipes are seeing renewed interest, with more products carrying “authentic” or “traditional” claims as proof of origin and craft.
For industrial bakeries, this typically means:
- Relying more on process – fermentation, enzymatic improvement, precise proofing – and less on chemical shortcuts.
- Investing in hygienic designs and controlled environments that support quality and shelf life even as additives are reduced.
- Building transparent sourcing stories around grains, fats and toppings.
Authenticity is becoming a differentiator, especially in mature markets where consumers are willing to pay more for products that feel genuine and trustworthy.
6. Automation and AI move from option to necessity
Behind every trend on the shelf sits a production reality: tight labor markets, rising input costs and growing product complexity. Many bakeries report difficulty filling skilled roles, and industry studies project a shortfall of more than 50,000 bakery workers in some key markets by 2030 if nothing changes.
As a result, automation and digitalization are now at the top of the investment agenda:
- Smart ovens and proofers adjust temperature, humidity and time automatically based on sensor feedback.
- Robotic systems handle tasks from dough loading to packaging, improving consistency and reducing ergonomic strain for staff.
- Vision AI inspects shape, color and topping placement in milliseconds, helping cut waste and rework while supporting premium positioning.
Data is becoming the invisible ingredient of the bakery. Connected equipment, line dashboards and predictive maintenance tools are turning factories into “smart bakeries” that can react in real time to variation in ingredients, demand or process conditions.
Automation is no longer about replacing people; it is about enabling teams to focus on higher-value work while maintaining throughput and quality in an increasingly complex product landscape.
7. Sustainability as standard, not bonus
Finally, sustainability has shifted from marketing claim to operational baseline. Across the value chain, pressure is growing from consumers, retailers and regulators:
- The industry is moving toward more sustainable ingredients, including regenerative grains and upcycled inputs such as spent grain or fruit pulp.
- Energy efficiency and emissions reduction are key drivers of investment in new ovens, coolers and heat-recovery systems.
- Recyclable and compostable packaging, waste reduction programs and improved traceability are becoming requirements for doing business with major retailers.
For industrial bakeries, the most compelling sustainability strategies are those that also improve economics: less scrap, lower energy consumption per ton of product, more efficient use of labor and raw materials.
Putting it together: from trends to decisions
Taken together, these forces point toward a clear direction for 2026:
- Health and indulgence are converging, not competing. Protein, fiber, fermentation and portion control will increasingly shape the bakery aisle.
- Experience-driven products – defined by texture, flavor fusions and visual appeal – will separate premium players from the rest.
- Process intelligence and automation will be essential to manage complexity, protect margins and compensate for labor shortages.
- Sustainability and transparency will move from “nice-to-have” to basic expectation in customer conversations.
Industrial bakeries that align their product roadmaps, process investments and technology choices with these trends will be best positioned to grow. Whether they are scaling sourdough, exploring pinsa, launching high-protein buns or rethinking energy across their ovens.
Which of these trends do you see reshaping your bakery most in 2026. And where do you see the biggest gap between aspiration and current capability?
Together, let’s shape the future of baking.
Your baking partner of choice,
AMF Bakery Systems
