Bread used to be something restaurants plopped down on a table to keep customers from getting “hangry” as appetizers and main courses are prepared. However, restaurants and its attendees are getting serious about bread these days. Restaurants have started to discover the power of good breads as an inexpensive way to differentiate their menu. Flavor, texture, presentation and variety are some of the factors that bakers are looking to implement in their bread to catch the attention of the bread hungry consumer. There are some bread trends looking to make a splash this summer, and we strongly suggest your bakery or restaurant start producing them while the demand is high!

Artisan Bread

The days of plain boring bread are over! The thick crust and intense flavor of artisan bread helps you understand what all the hype is about. Bakeries are starting to roll out specialty sandwiches that feature a variety of artisan breads such as sourdough, brioche and ciabatta. If your bakery or restaurant is not currently producing these doughy works of art, we highly suggest climbing aboard the artisan bread train! Empire Bakery Equipment offers a variety of equipment such as deck ovens, spiral arm mixers, and proofers to help your establishment produce high quality artisan bread.

Flatbreads

This bread is not necessarily rising to the occasion, since it doesn’t rise at all. Flatbreads are HOT right now, and the trends popularity can be seen by both local bakeries and food chains. Fast food establishments are incorporating flatbreads and restaurants are big on offering varieties of flatbread pizzas as a fancy alternative to the traditional style. The flatbreads popularity stems from the health craze seen in bread over the years and its ability to be used in a variety of different recipes. Bakeries and restaurants could utilize a dough sheeter to help with the production of this hot trend.

Seasonal Breads

You know how the world goes crazy for pumpkin spice flavored EVERYTHING when the fall season hits? It’s like that, but with bread! With more and more bakers experimenting with varieties of bread, it has become easier for them to add and remove bread recipes from their menus. With that said, these bakeries and also some restaurants are including seasonal breads to their menus. Some of those breads include fermented raspberry sourdough, lemon poppy bread and zucchini bread. These seasonal breads need a strong spiral arm mixer which can evenly mix the inclusions to produce a high-quality summer bread.

Understanding the popularity of these current trends in bread, it is highly recommended that you and your bakery or restaurant start offering these seasonal options. Before you start ramping up production of new varieties of bread, be sure your kitchen is equipped with the proper equipment. For your equipment needs, you can always give Empire Bakery Equipment a call to learn which equipment is best for you and your bakery.