Bakery and pastry industry maintains frozen dough production in 2023

The Spanish Association of the Bakery, Pastry, and Confectionery Industry (ASEMAC) presents the economic data from the last fiscal year, showing a slight increase in frozen dough production. By segments, pastry and confectionery grew by 7%, while bread did so by 1.2%. The bakery, pastry, and confectionery industry in Spain, represented by ASEMAC, managed to maintain frozen dough production throughout the year 2023.

Thus, last year saw the production of 973,034 tons of frozen dough, 2.45% more than in 2022, when the figure stood at 949,754 tons. This in turn translated into a 13.47% increase in revenue, rising from €1,661.14 million in 2022 to €1,884.92 million in 2023, primarily due to inflation recorded over the past year. According to the latest ASEMAC data, bread production based on frozen dough in Spain reached a volume of 754,818 tons in 2023, representing a slight increase of +1.2% compared to 2022 production data. As for pastry and confectionery, production in 2023 reached a volume of 218,216 tons, registering a variation of +7.04% compared to 2022. In terms of revenue, bread, with a 10.17% increase compared to 2022 data, recorded a total of €1,089.42 million.

Meanwhile, the pastry and confectionery segment generated €795.5 million in revenue, representing an increase of +18.33% compared to 2022. "We have come very close to the volumes of frozen dough production prior to COVID. We are satisfied, considering everything that happened in 2023, such as strong inflationary trends, price increases of strategic raw materials in Madrid, April 16, 2024 (cereals, oilseeds, sugar, cocoa...), and the consequent changes in consumption," highlighted Jorge de Saja, general secretary of ASEMAC. During his press conference, de Saja emphasized the industry's adaptation to legislative changes affecting the production model. He also highlighted that consumption of products linked to hospitality and catering has grown due to increased tourism in Spain last year, while lamenting the ongoing decrease in bread consumption at home.

The press conference presenting ASEMAC data also involved the Director General of Food at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, José Miguel Herrero, who highlighted the role of the food industry in the Spanish economy and congratulated ASEMAC on the positive data presented. "It is true that dietary habits are changing, but while bread consumption is decreasing in households in absolute terms, we can say that since 2019, with the update of the Bread Quality Standard, there has been a bread revolution in Spain, with ASEMAC companies as an example of innovation and development of products adapted to the demands of new consumers." He also referred to the strategies of reducing salt and sugars implemented by the bakery, pastry, and confectionery industry, "with products more tailored to consumer profiles, who read food compositions more, are more educated, and seek foods with nutritional profiles in line with new requirements. ASEMAC has played a great role in anticipating these new demands.

"If we want our companies and industries to have greater development, we need to seek higher added value and compete not only in quantity but also position ourselves with a special and differentiated quality," emphasized the Director General of Food. Evolution of the last 8 years Madrid, April 16, 2024 Taking into account the variation from the period between 2016 and 2023 regarding total production, last year's figures are 5.1% higher than those of that year, demonstrating a very consistent growth in the sector in terms of production, with a consistently positive trend except for the years 2020 and 2021, which were severely affected by the impact of the health crisis. The variation in terms of bread production in tons, from 2016 to 2023, has been -1.66%. In contrast, the data regarding the variation in pastry production represents +37.89%.