At the company’s investor meeting on March 1 in Chicago, executives at McDonald’s Corp. identified several intriguing opportunities for baked foods and desserts.

In addition to adding more flavors and new branding, the company plans to increase the presence of McCafe in its restaurants, evolving the brand from “merely a product to a place,” said Chris Kempczinski, president of McDonald’s U.S. business. “This enhanced in-store presence will allow us to merchandise baked goods and desserts under the McCafe line, adding an additional sales layer to the business,” he said.

McDonald’s also has seen success with tailored snacking offers around the world, such as desserts in Latin America and baked goods in France, said Lucy Brady, senior vice-president of corporate strategy and business development.

“And we'll continue to encourage markets to innovate to meet the untapped demands that exist in the afternoons and in the evenings, and we'll be more purposeful about identifying and scaling winning ideas from our markets,” Brady said.