Creative product ideas for the fall season

Retail bakeries understand the importance of the fall holidays and how much is at stake for their businesses. To be prepared, here is a smorgasbord of new product and marketing ideas, as the industry prepares for the busiest days of the year.

As the crisp air of fall approaches, Otis Spunkmeyer shares its latest seasonal treat: the Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookie. This delectable fusion of warm pumpkin spice and rich chocolate chips embraces the essence of autumn in every bite.

“With Pumpkin Spice being consumers’ top fall flavor, and chocolate chip being the #1 cookie flavor, the new cookie is sure to be a hit,” shared Paul Stippich, senior director of marketing, strategy, and innovation for Aspire Bakeries. “The Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookie offers a perfect blend of comfort, nostalgia, and innovation that will delight customers in convenience stores, in-store bakeries, restaurants, and everywhere Otis Spunkmeyer cookies are baked and served.”

Giving operators more variety for their cookie loving customers, the Otis Spunkmeyer Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookie is the third frozen cookie dough flavor innovation for the brand in 2024. This cookie follows the release of trending cookie flavors Otis Spunkmeyer Lemon Burst Cookie and the Otis Spunkmeyer Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookie. A full portfolio of marketing materials is available to support operators, including social media graphics, signage, table tents, and window clings.

Pumpkin spice is more popular than ever, with consumer interest spiking earlier each year. It’s evolving from a fall-exclusive flavor to a year-round favorite.

Ideal for c-stores, supermarkets, and restaurants looking to attract customers with a limited-time seasonal offering.

Made with premium ingredients, the Otis Spunkmeyer brand is known for ensuring a consistent, high-quality cookie.

New pastry flour

Grands Moulins de Paris (GMP), the century-old, beloved French milling company producing premium flour for chefs across the globe, and internationally acclaimed pastry chef Dominique Ansel have announced the launch of a new pastry flour set to redefine the at-home baking experience.

The leading retail flour brand in the pastry capital of the world, GMP is used by a third of the professional bakers in France. In collaboration with James Beard Award winner Dominique Ansel, GMP is bringing its chef-preferred flour to the United States for consumers to access for the first time. The new high quality Pastry Flour (750g/$8.50) is a T55 French wheat flour exclusively available nationwide via Amazon, Dominique Ansel’s website and Dominique Ansel Bakery and Workshop locations in New York City.

GMP, belonging to a cooperative of 10,000 farmer members, prides itself on growing and milling 100 percent French wheat, without using any preservatives, to deliver premium flour to chefs and bakeries worldwide. Chef Ansel has long been using Grands Moulins de Paris flours in his own pastry kitchens, using the brand’s professional-grade flour varieties in croissants and viennoiserie at his bakeries around the country.

“As a chef, using great quality ingredients is vital for what we do each day, from butter and eggs, to the fresh produce we source, and of course, our flour too,” says Ansel. “In our kitchens, we use Grands Moulins de Paris flour for many of our pastries, and it helps us to achieve that flaky, light and airy texture. I'm excited that our Pastry Flour will now be available to home bakers for the first time, so you can bake beautiful cakes and pastries of your own.”

The following are some key characteristics of the pastry flour:

Refinement: T55 flour is typically finely milled, meaning it is more refined with a finer texture than wholemeal flours (like whole wheat or whole grain flour). This gives the flour a lighter, more airy texture, and the ability to produce delicate pastries.
Gluten Content: T55 flour has an optimal moderate gluten content, ideal for making cakes and batters with a soft, fluffy texture (think: pancakes and chiffon cakes).
Strength: T55 flour has medium strength, meaning it can support the formation of gluten structures strong enough to trap the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation (crucial to the rise of pastry dough).
Texture: T55 flour typically yields finished products with a light and airy texture, making it a popular choice for pastries that require a tender crumb.
Versatility: Incredibly versatile, T55 flour can be used in pancakes, crêpes, cakes, chiffon and sponge cakes, and other baked goods.

With innovative new packaging that stands out on the shelf, the cardboard milk carton-shaped box is designed to solve common problems home cooks experience with bags of flour. The colorful carton is no-spill, resealable with a cap easy to store in pantries of all sizes and recyclable.

New beverages

Starbucks Reserve® Roasteries and stores in Seattle, Chicago and New York City will introduce new and returning Pumpkin Spice beverages, such as the new Starbucks Reserve® Pumpkin Spice Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew, Pumpkin Spice Affogato, and Pumpkin Spice Chai Martini, and the return of Starbucks Reserve® Pumpkin Spice Latte, alongside a variety of seasonal cocktails, beverages, merchandise, and food.

The fall Starbucks Reserve® menu features a variety of new and returning pumpkin spice and fall-flavored crowd-pleasers, from a sweet treat to a savory snack.

The new Pumpkin Croffle is a croissant and waffle hybrid paired with a sweet pumpkin and white chocolate ganache and crunchy, candied pumpkin seeds. Available exclusively at the Starbucks Reserve® Empire State Building store for a limited time. Coming soon to all Starbucks Reserve stores.

Welcoming back a fan-favorite, the Pumpkin Spice Cake is topped with caramel sauce, toasted pumpkin seeds and a Princi chocolate medallion.

The new Pear and Almond Tart enables customers to indulge in the flavors of fall with this sweet tart shell filled with almond cream and apricot jam, topped with poached pears and toasted almonds.

4 Stagioni Pizza returns for the fall. This seasonal specialty features toppings representing each of the seasons – Prosciutto cotto, marinated mushrooms, artichokes and black olives – and is baked with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella.

In addition, beverages include the new Pumpkin Spice Affogato, an indulgent combination of vanilla gelato topped with Starbucks Reserve® Espresso, pumpkin spice sauce and caramel brulée topping.

This new, spirit-free beverage features Starbucks Reserve® Whiskey Barrel-Aged Coffee, made from Guatemalan coffee beans aged in Knob Creek® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey barrels, served over ice with pumpkin spice sauce and topped with pumpkin spice cold foam.

And returning for a second year is the Starbucks Reserve® Pumpkin Spice Latte, carefully crafted with Starbucks Reserve® Espresso, steamed milk, and the celebrated flavor combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, topped with whipped cream and pumpkin-pie spices. Available hot or iced.

New flavors

Dawn Foods, a global leader in bakery ingredients, has added three new flavors to its frozen ready-to-finish donut product line: Apple Crisp, Birthday Cake, and Cherry. These new products round out the line with more than 20 varieties and are now available for order from Dawn Foods.

The ready-to-finish donuts are made with Dawn Majestic® Cake Donut Mix, an industry standard known for its superior performance. The new flavors are seasonally inspired – Apple Crisp for the fall and Cherry for late winter and early spring – yet all three are versatile enough to be customized and served year-round. With over 100 years of experience, Dawn Foods products deliver consistent quality and flavor variety, helping bakeries stand out from the competition.

Dawn Majestic® Apple Crisp Flavored Cake Donut: This donut offers a mild cinnamon-apple flavor profile with apple bits, delivering a well-balanced taste experience.

Dawn Majestic® Birthday Flavored Cake Donut: Reminiscent of a classic white cake with rainbow sprinkles, this donut captures the birthday cake experience. It can be enjoyed plain, iced, or glazed for an instant celebration.

Dawn Majestic® Cherry Flavored Cake Donut: This donut features a sweet cherry flavor, enhanced by real cherry fruit, creating a delightful taste.

These popular flavors allow bakeries to expand their offerings, meeting customer demand for fresh, exciting, and delicious donuts without the need for extensive equipment or labor. Bakers can simply ice and decorate for a quick finish, enabling them to maintain a full and enticing display case even during peak times or after daily production hours.

Dawn offers an extensive range of high-quality frozen donuts, donut mixes, icings, glazes, fillings, and packaging solutions, along with instructional how-to videos and troubleshooting manuals to help bakers consistently create irresistible donuts that delight their customers.

Donut bites

Consumers are looking for items that you can grab and go as well as something that will satisfy their cravings, according to FMI (The Food Retailing Industry Speaks, 2023). Plus, Gen Z’s #1 snack motivator is indulgence, revealed in the Datassential “Snack Trend” FoodBytes, 2023.

Donuts are an American favorite, as 86% of consumers love or like donuts, and the predicted market growth for donut holes in the next four years is +34% (According to SNAP! Datassential – Menucast™ Food Profile, March 2024).

Rich Products bakes three trends into its new Double Chocolate Filled Donut Bites: an increasing demand for donuts, snacking, and indulgence. Ideal for limited-service restaurants with labor constraints, these flavorful Donut Bites are the perfect portable option for consumers seeking casual snacks or sweets on the go. Each bite-sized chocolate cake donut is made with premium ingredients and stuffed with an indulgent, gooey, chocolate filling. This turnkey solution arrives frozen, ready to thaw and serve or heat and serve.

The Double Chocolate Filled Donut Bites join two other ready-to-finish, decadent donut holes from Rich’s: Jumbo Birthday Cake Filled Donut Bites with Vanilla Frosting Filling and French Toast Cake Filled Donut Bites with Maple Filling.

“Rich’s Donut Bites are the ideal solution for labor-challenged operators who want to offer an indulgent treat that satisfies consumers who snack throughout the day,” explains Alyssa Barrett, senior customer marketing manager, Rich Products. “Rich’s offers a wide portfolio of unique donut hole options such as churro bites, corn poppers, pancake bites and French toast bites, some with unique fillings like maple, confetti, and now chocolate.”

This craveable bite-sized donut can be a breakfast champion, an anytime snack, or after-dinner dessert. The ready-to-finish Double Chocolate Filled Donut Bites require a simple thaw or an optional oven refresh, with endless opportunities for decorating and frosting to finish them off. To elevate the menu, operators can create Instagrammable treats, like donut pops, parfaits, and breakfast skewers. The possibilities are endless by adding dipping sauces, sweet coatings and decorative toppings like colorful sprinkles or nuts. The 1.3-ounce donut bites come frozen, 220 per case.

New Double Chocolate Filled Donut Bites join the extensive Rich’s donut bite portfolio of decadent Jumbo Filled Bites and Donut Holes. The lineup includes classic and on-trend flavors in filled and unfilled cake and yeast varieties: