The U.S. bakery category has plateaued at about $49 billion, but shoppers are still willing to splurge. Brioche Gourmet’s Brian Gerraughty explains how premium brioche turns that willingness into basket growth.
Nearly every U.S. household already buys bakery. That makes it one of the most penetrated categories in the store and one of the hardest to grow by adding new shoppers. Brian Gerraughty, National Sales & Marketing Manager for Brioche Gourmet, the flagship brand of French family-owned baker La Fournée Dorée, talks about where the growth is coming from instead: frequency, basket size and premium items that give shoppers a reason to trade up.
Q: What is the state of the U.S. bakery category?
Bakery is a mature market. It is valued at about $49.3 billion and still posting slight value growth, but the picture underneath is more complicated. The category added more than $11 billion in sales between 2020 and 2022. Since 2023 it has largely plateaued at around $49 billion, and current value growth is just 0.7 percent, a much slower pace than in prior years.
Volume tells the other half of the story. Units have declined almost continuously since 2023, and the category has lost roughly 400 million units over that period, a 1.4 percent decline. Higher prices driven by inflation, along with consumers trading up to premium products, have offset most of that loss.
The IDDBA State of the Bakery Category in Retail Grocery report puts household penetration at 96.7 percent. Nearly everyone already buys bakery so recruiting new shoppers is not where the growth opportunity is. Growth now comes from increasing purchase frequency, growing basket size, driving innovation and expanding premium offerings, and it is being led by dynamic subcategories such as brioche.
Q: How are shoppers engaging with the category right now?
Shoppers are stretching their food dollars, but they are not giving up on treats. Nearly half are taking extra steps to manage food budgets: 49 percent review promotions before or during shopping trips and 48 percent plan meals and build shopping lists. Forty-six percent say they are cooking more meals from scratch rather than relying on semi or fully prepared foods.
At the same time, consumption is moving home. More consumers are entertaining guests at home (22 percent), celebrating holidays at home (20 percent) and marking birthdays and family gatherings at home (20 percent) rather than going out. Every one of those occasions is a natural moment for premium bakery, and for products like ours that let shoppers recreate a restaurant-quality experience in their own kitchen.
Budget-conscious does not mean closed to indulgence. Ninety-two percent of consumers say they can be persuaded to spend a little more than planned. The strongest purchase triggers are a favorite brand (42 percent), a special occasion (42 percent), an all-time favorite product (41 percent) and seasonal celebrations (34 percent). About a third are looking for a small personal reward, and more of them now see bakery as an affordable alternative to a restaurant meal or a night out.
The in-store bakery has become one of the places shoppers allow themselves to splurge a little while managing the rest of the cart carefully. We are that splurge, and shoppers can feel good about it because they know they have made a high-quality purchase that still delivers on value.
Q: What should retailers know about brioche specifically?
Many American consumers are still discovering the category, and that is an opportunity. Authentic brioche is not standard bread. It is a rich recipe made with eggs, butter and milk, which gives it an exceptionally soft, light and airy texture and a delicate sweetness. Once shoppers understand and appreciate that difference, brioche moves from an occasional purchase to a regular one, from burger buns for the grill to French toast on Sunday morning, to a filled brioche at snack time.
That education is part of how we develop the category with our retail partners. It builds demand for the whole segment while reinforcing the premium positioning that keeps brioche a value builder for the department.
Q: Tell us about La Fournée Dorée and the Brioche Gourmet brand.
La Fournée Dorée is an independent, family-owned French bakery company founded in 1997 by Christian Péau in Les Achards, in the Vendée region of France. The family’s baking expertise spans four generations, and brioche is our specialty. Today the group operates five production facilities in France and two in Canada, with a US Commercial Office in Miami, Florida. We employ about 1,800 people companywide and hold IFS and BRC quality certifications.
We export to more than 35 countries, with more than half of our sales being generated outside France. That growth has been built on products such as sliced brioche loaves, brioche burger buns and filled brioche, including our Brioche Swirls and Tear & Share ranges, along with extensive private label partnerships.
Brioche Gourmet is the group’s flagship brand and the premium expression of French brioche internationally. In the U.S., it is the brand through which we are growing the category with both retailers and consumers. The U.S. range includes French brioche loaves, brioche burger buns, brioche rolls, Tear & Share filled brioches, croissants, pain au chocolat, plus seasonal items such as a pumpkin spice filled brioche. We also offer two plant-based products, a vegan brioche loaf and vegan brioche buns, available through select retailers.
Q: What is new in the lineup for 2026?
Three launches stand out this year.
French Brioche Loaf with Peanut Butter. Generous peanut butter inclusions run throughout the loaf. It pairs the signature softness of French brioche with a rich flavor profile that North American consumers already love.
Mocha Tear & Share Brioche. One of our most premium items to date: a soft, shareable brioche filled with an intensely aromatic coffee-flavored filling. The contrast between the fluffy brioche and the rich filling is the point, and the marbled appearance gives it strong shelf appeal and visual differentiation in the case.
Individually Wrapped Cinnamon Brioche Swirls. Built for convenience and on-the-go snacking for breakfast, lunchboxes, afternoon breaks or family sharing. Authentic French bakery quality in a format that fits everyday routines.
Together they give retailers an item for every day and every member of the family, from breakfast and snacking to sharing and special occasions.
Q: How do you support the product at retail?
We build customized annual promotional roadmaps with each banner, timed to key selling periods, and we combine digital and in-store activation. On the digital side, that means homepage placements on retailer e-commerce platforms, dedicated newsletter campaigns and social media activations through retailer channels.
In-store, our Eiffel Tower-shaped metal display rack is the anchor. It creates a strong brand presence, lifts shelf visibility and reinforces the French heritage right at the point of decision.
Beyond the store, we invest directly in consumer communication. Brioche Gourmet has an active community on Instagram and Facebook with regular content, contests, seasonal campaigns, product launches and posts tied to key moments in American life. We are also expanding on LinkedIn to strengthen relationships with retail partners and industry professionals.
Much of that social content is educational, explaining what authentic French brioche is and how to use it. That assists in building the category for everyone selling it, and it supports our goal of satisfying shoppers from breakfast through everyday indulgent moments.
Q: What sets Brioche Gourmet apart from competitors?
Brioche Gourmet ensures the continuity of French savoir-faire and authenticity in all our products and process, and will continue to do so, without compromise. Our 4 generations of expertise, a passion for quality, authenticity, and a commitment to wholesome ingredients are evident in our finished products. We do not cut corners, and shoppers can taste the difference.
The Brioche Gourmet name is newer to U.S. shoppers than some competitors, but that is changing rapidly. We have manufactured and supplied branded and private label customers consistently since brioche emerged in the U.S. market, and that consistency and expertise is what retailers can consistently count on from us.
About Brian Gerraughty
Brian brings over 40 years of experience across all aspects of the ISB, including retail operations, executive broker leadership, and manufacturer sales. He joined the US-based team at La Fournée Dorée/Brioche Gourmet in 2025.
Brian can be reached directly via e-mail at [email protected].
