Grupo Bimbo upbeat on bakery

Eyeing new consumption trends in the bakery sector, Grupo Bimbo is upbeat about the Chinese market, and will keep investing in the country.

"Since we entered the Chinese market, Grupo Bimbo has continued to invest in China, focusing on food quality and safety, as well as operational improvements across our bakeries," said Kelly Zhang, general manager of Bimbo China. "In recent years, the demand for baked goods in the Chinese market has evolved from 'eating enough' to 'eating well, eating right', while pursuing clean labels such as no additives and low sugar control. The consumption scene has transitioned from family meals to personalized self-enjoyment."

Bimbo has launched whole wheat ciabatta and kale red bean toast bread in the Chinese market, and has constantly upgraded its Dofi bread series.

"Meanwhile, customer purchasing channels have changed. In the past, they would simply go to offline supermarkets. Now, they purchase baked goods from all channels, including baking specialty stores, convenience stores and online e-commerce platforms," she said.

Market research firm Motor Intelligence said that in 2026, 15 percent of products sold online have seen obvious growth. To meet this growing trend, Bimbo enhanced its e-commerce channel operations and has achieved positive results.

Data from Shanghai-based Marketing Consulting Research showed that since 2021, the Chinese bakery market has grown constantly.

In 2025, the market totaled 662.6 billion yuan ($98.2 billion) and it is estimated that by 2030 the market will surpass 902.5 billion yuan.

Huang Tao, an independent expert in public relations, said: "The baked goods consumption market in China is in a rapid development stage, with its scale continuing to expand. At the same time, market competition is becoming increasingly fierce and the differentiation between different enterprises, regions, cities and locations may become more apparent. The market has gone from insufficient supply in the past, with some households purchasing less and fewer related stores, to a rise in production and household consumption. The industry has begun to upgrade."

Research from the catering research institute Hongcan shows that for Chinese bakery consumption, breakfast takes up 68 percent of the scenarios, while afternoon tea makes up 21 percent, and gift-giving is also growing. In 2025, the sales volume of gift-giving baked goods totaled 80 billion yuan, up 12 percent year-on-year.

zhengyiran@chinadaily.com.cn