Articles by Tom Vierhile

Seasonings and table sauces—the two largest subcategories under sauces and seasonings—saw new product introductions saw rise by 11% and 20%, respectively, in 2024.

Overall US bakery launches grew by about 1% in 2024. The category was led by cakes, pastries and sweet goods with a 12% increase in launches versus the prior year.

Despite inflationary concerns, Innova Market Insights tracking data show cereal and snack bar innovation grew in 2024 with new product launches up by just more than 1%.

Chocolate confection processors faced skyrocketing 2024 cocoa prices following intense rain and severe drought conditions in West Africa’s cacao growing regions. Not surprisingly, confectionery innovation was flat in 2024, with double-digit declines in new product introductions.

The top snacking drivers are to “prevent feeling hungry” followed by “rewarding oneself” according to Innova Market Insights’ 2023 Snacking & Healthy Snacking survey.

The good news for sauce, dressing, and marinade makers is that their category tends to be the top destination for consumers seeking to experiment with flavors.

Trends and innovations that took place in the cereals and bars market for 2023, and what formulators can look for going into 2024.

2023 was a solid year for cookies and bread with launches up 6% and 5%, respectively. New cakes, pastry and sweet good introductions also were in the plus column, up 2.7% for the year. Baking ingredients and mixes posted a 1.6% decline in launches while cracker introductions dipped 4.8% in 2023.

According to Innova’s 2022 Flavor Survey, 39% of Americans said they are most likely to experiment with flavors through sauces, seasonings, and toppings. These categories rank ahead of others such as bakery, soup, desserts and ice cream, cheese, savory snacks, and more.

Per the Innova Database of new products, snack bar new product introductions (cereal and energy bars) grew more than 6% while cold cereal launches expanded by more than 2% during the first 11 months of 2022 versus the same period in 2021. Hot cereal launches declined by around 10% during the same period.