New Data Sparks Americans’ Cake, Bread Conversations

Can Americans have their cake, and bread, and eat it too? Yes, according to new data from Innova Market Insights. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t differences and patterns among why consumers prefer one or the other — or both. 

Team Bread 
Bread lovers overall seem to be more of a more conservative bunch, not experimenting too much and sticking with mild, familiar tastes. Bread lovers look at the food as a staple, more for everyday use.

Regional preferences also played a part in respondents’ lives, as in some parts of the United States, breakfast is prime time for bread consumption. 

Team Cake
According to Innova, cake lovers are “bigger experimenters” compared to those who grab  bread products. When experimenting with flavors, 44% of respondents said they would in cake, yet only 33% of bread eaters would stray to innovative, strong flavors. It should come as no surprise that cake is viewed as more of an indulgence, not necessarily a staple in one’s diet.

In terms of region, cake on the other hand isn’t a breakfast staple (although the LloydPans innovation team smiles at the thought). North Americans are most likely to grab a slice as an evening snack and not necessarily with dinner, according to Innova. 

Convergence of the Bake
As in most trend reports coming through the pipeline in 2021, taste is the No. 1 factor for consumers, and both bread and cake category lovers agree on this reason for their choices. Also receiving high marks is freshness — no one wants a stale bake! Bakeries that can capitalize on short shelf lives and fresh bread win out; 59% said they wanted fresh bread versus only 16% who preferred long shelf lives. The price point on fresher products also went up with consumers — more than half said they’d pay more for freshness.

Are you Team Bread, Team Cake or both? No matter what your bakery specializes in, our Made in the USA LloydPans Bakeware line is chock full of Bread Pans and Cake Pans to help you rise above the competition.