U.S. Baked Goods Sales Rise In 2012, But Will Stagnate In Near Future

The trend toward healthier breads – whole wheat, multigrain, and gluten-free – helped fuel a three percent growth in baked goods sales in the U.S. (to $48.6 billion in 2012), according to a new Euromonitor report. Introduction of numerous gluten-free baked goods, however, may be unable to stop the effect of what Euromonitor calls “the large migration of consumers from bread to rice-based or other gluten-free products”. One portentous note: the value share of most major bread brands dropped in 2012 as artisanal and private label breads “continued to win out”. Euromonitor expects retail constant value sales of baked goods to stagnate over the next four years, while retail volume sales will slip five percent.