Consumers Continue to Embrace Breads

Bread remains a grocery staple, with traditional and premium offerings driving growth

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Despite some declines in the overall bread category, consumers have continued to show strong interest in breads, with traditional and premium offerings like sourdough, brioche, and specialty breads seeing growth. Producers report that taste remains the top priority for consumers, though health-conscious attributes are also increasingly valued. Trends like smaller portions, nostalgic flavors, and global inspirations are also impacting the bread market.

Why it matters

Bread is a core grocery category, with 97% of households purchasing bread in some form. Understanding the evolving consumer preferences and trends in this category is crucial for bakeries, retailers, and brands to stay competitive and meet the changing demands of shoppers.

The details

The center-store bread category saw a 2.5% decline to $11.5 billion, with sandwich bread down 3% to $10 billion. However, some subcategories like crusty/meal bread, panini/ciabatta/focaccia, and specialty breads saw gains. On the perimeter, the bread category reached $1.8 billion, up 3.5%, with the crusty/meal bread subcategory making up most of those sales and increasing 2.6%. Specialty breads on the perimeter saw the biggest percentage gain at 7.9%. Producers report that consumers are gravitating toward classic, authentically made breads, as well as premium offerings like brioche that help create 'moments' with meals. While health-conscious attributes are increasingly valued, taste, texture, and convenience remain top priorities for shoppers.

  • The 52-week period ending December 28, 2025 saw the changes in bread sales described.
  • Gonnella Baking Co. will mark its 140th anniversary in 2026.

The players

Ama Auwarter

VP/category lead of snacks, bakery and cookies for Campbell's Co.

Dave Gonnella

VP of sales with Gonnella Baking Co.

Kayleigh Swift

U.S. brand manager for St. Pierre

Nancy McKearney

Cofounder and president of Bakehouse Bread Co.

Grupo Bimbo

A major bread producer with $2.8 billion in sales, down 5%.

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What they’re saying

“Bread remains one of the most widely purchased items in the grocery store. The Fresh Bread & Roll category continues to be a staple in U.S. households, with 97% of households purchasing bread in some form.”

— Ama Auwarter, VP/category lead of snacks, bakery and cookies for Campbell's Co.

“Consumers are gravitating toward classic, authentically made breads rooted in tradition.”

— Dave Gonnella, VP of sales with Gonnella Baking Co.

“Brioche is a growing category and we're seeing continental products and pastries doing very well over the past 12 months, which is definitely influenced by that fact that there are more at-home breakfast occasions than ever before.”

— Kayleigh Swift, U.S. brand manager for St. Pierre

“While health-conscious attributes like all-natural ingredients, reduced sugar, and homemade recipes are increasingly valued, taste, texture, and convenience remain the top priorities.”

— Nancy McKearney, Cofounder and president of Bakehouse Bread Co.

What’s next

Gonnella Baking Co. plans to continue expanding its frozen dough and thaw-and-sell offerings, including seasonal flavor work to support retail bakery programs. St. Pierre is launching its first limited-edition product in 2026 and evolving its 'Eat Avec Respect' marketing platform. Bakehouse Bread Co. will focus on expanding its online ordering and build-your-own 3-pack options to make its breads more accessible to consumers.

The takeaway

Bread remains a staple grocery item, with consumers continuing to seek out both traditional and premium offerings that deliver on taste, texture, and convenience. Bakeries and brands must stay attuned to evolving consumer preferences, from health-conscious attributes to global flavor inspirations, in order to meet the changing demands of the bread-buying public.