Predicting the future can be difficult and risky, but having an idea of what consumers are looking for can be incredibly helpful for snack and bakery pros planning for future success. Daludado, senior food technologist with T. Hasegawa, sat down with Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery Chief Editor Jenni Spinner to talk dessert and confection trends, and what the coming year might hold for producers.

Creating snack chips out of chicken breast might seem like a wild idea, but it’s one that’s caught on with consumers, who now can purchase the products at Target and other high-profile stores. Wright, founder of Wilde, talks about the company’s early days, notable growth trajectory, and what’s ahead for the brand.

Lots of U.S. households have a bottle of soy sauce in their pantry, which they typically employ to season homemade or take-out Asian dishes. However, as Chef Andrew Hunter shares with Chief Editor Jenni Spinner, soy sauce is a much more versatile substance than most consumers realize. The culinary expert explains how soy sauce can be used in a broad range of snack and bakery products, and the difference between chemically produced soy and the company’s painstaking traditional brewing process.

Consumers aren’t just interested in healthier eating—often, they are seeking out foods that deliver a specific benefit, such as improved heart health. Colindres, BENEO’s nutrition communication manager for North America, explains how bakery and snack producers can hit the mark and deliver with their products.

Baking is not a business for the faint of heart, and the challenges of the past few made that saying truer than ever. Experience baker Gordon and husband Hartong spoke with SF&WB Chief Editor Jenni Spinner to share how creative thinking and perseverance helped carry the Brooklyn-based bakery through some very tough times.