Commercial and Retail Bakeries NAICS 311811, 311812

Jun 20, 2026 - Craft Flour On The Rise

• Growing consumer interest in fiber-rich, less processed foods is fueling demand for premium craft flour, The New York Times reports. Increasing demand from health-conscious consumers, including followers of GLP-1 diets and proponents of clean-label and whole-grain foods, is creating new opportunities for artisanal bakeries that emphasize quality, nutrition, and traditional baking methods. Premium flour producers are expanding capacity as bakeries and restaurants increasingly use specialty flours that offer enhanced flavor, higher fiber content, and perceived digestive benefits. Market research cited by NYT found that premium flour ranks among the most appealing bread attributes for Millennials and Gen Z consumers. For bakeries, the trend signals opportunities to differentiate products through heirloom grains, traditional fermentation, clean-label ingredients, and premium bread offerings. However, craft flour is expensive and the cost may challenge margins, requiring bakers to balance ingredient quality with pricing and profitability.
• Labor shortages and rising wages are pushing bakeries to accelerate automation and robotics adoption to maintain production and control costs, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery (SF&WB) reports. Difficulty staffing roles, especially overnight, is making manual operations increasingly unsustainable. Robotics offer bakeries lower labor costs and reduced reliance on hard-to-fill positions, consistent product quality and output, and improved safety by handling repetitive or hazardous tasks. Applications for hygienic, food-handling robots include product handling, positioning, decorating, and packaging, particularly in high-care or labor-intensive processes. While upfront investment is required, many facilities can achieve return on investment (ROI) within one to three years, according to SF&WB. For bakery operators, automation is becoming essential to meet demand, offset labor constraints, and improve efficiency. Still, successful implementation requires careful planning, integration with existing systems, and workforce training.

• Florida’s Department of Health detected glyphosate, a common but controversial agricultural herbicide, in six of eight bread products tested from major grocery brands, Supermarket News reports. While the measured levels were well below the EPA’s safety threshold, the findings have raised public health concerns and increased scrutiny of ingredients used in bread production. For commercial bakeries, the testing could lead to greater regulatory attention, consumer scrutiny, and pressure for supply chain transparency, particularly regarding wheat sourcing and agricultural practices. Bakeries may face growing demand from retailers and consumers for glyphosate-free grains, organic ingredients, or additional product testing and labeling. The findings could also encourage stricter quality control and supplier verification to ensure compliance with evolving food safety expectations. While current levels fall within federal safety limits, the publicity surrounding the tests may influence purchasing decisions and require bakeries to proactively address ingredient safety and traceability to maintain consumer trust.
• Producer prices for retail bakeries rose 1.9% in May compared to a year ago, after rising 0.6% in the previous May-versus-May annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Producer prices for retail bakeries are at a record high driven by the rising cost of sugar and other ingredients, energy, labor, and other inputs. At the retail level, the price of bakery products rose 2.6% year over year in May and 0.9% versus April, according to the Labor Department’s May 2026 Consumer Price Index report. Employment by bread and bakery product manufacturers grew only 0.7% year over year in April, while the average industry wage rose 4.2% over the same period to $23.83 per hour, easing slightly from its high in February, BLS data show.