According to a recent report from Leatherhead Food Research, gluten-free is the fastest growing “suitable for/free from” claim in the United States and Western European markets. This report is one of many that have been published in the last year that highlight the strong potential of gluten-free products in the baking and snack industries.

The gluten-free market is rife with opportunities, and honey is becoming a key player in formulating new products. Honey plays two significant roles in gluten-free products. First, honey provides an exceptional natural sweetness while maintaining a clean label. Second, and just as important, honey significantly contributes to bakery foods’ moisture, making sure they stay soft and maintain a desirable texture. This is paramount in gluten-free bakery foods, as the formulation of these products proves challenging to maintain moisture.

By using liquid honey in gluten-free bakery foods, bakers employ a hygroscopic ingredient that maintains moisture in products longer than other dry sweeteners. Honey also acts as a natural humectant in bakery foods, and most importantly, the ingredient performs these crucial roles all while maintaining a clean label.

Gluten-free bakery foods have come a long way in the last 10 years. The days of dry cookies and bread are over, and gluten-free products now rival the taste of their original, glutinous counterparts. Honey has undoubtedly been an ingredient that has transformed the quality and taste of products in the gluten-free market. As more food manufacturers catch on to the gluten-free trend, the uses and formulas for natural ingredients, such as honey, will grow as well.

Sweetened with honey, topped with sea salt and brick oven baked, Honey Wheat Pretzel Splits are the perfect blend of a sweet and salty snack. These delicious and all-natural pretzels are low in fat and are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates.

The Bachman Company is family owned and operated and has a long tradition of product excellence.  With 125 years of commitment to making quality pretzels, they have become a leading producer in a full line of salty snacks.

Want to find more pretzels made with honey?

• Annie’s Organic Honey Wheat Pretzels
• Herr’s Whole Grain Pretzel Sticks
• Utz Honey Mustard & Onion Pretzel Pieces

Do you make snack foods made with honey? Get them listed here by emailing info@bakingwithhoney.com

Despite a renewed focus on low-carbohydrate diets, research conducted by Modern Baking magazine shows an upward trend in bread sales throughout the last five years. The report states that from 2006 to 2010, bread sales grew 22.7%, or an average of 5.2% each year from 2006 to 2010. Nationally, sandwich breads had the largest growth in the bread category, tallying an impressive 8% increase. The research classified the bread category as all crusty or hot hearth breads, artisan breads, sandwich breads, flatbreads and other bread types.

And it’s not just industry trade publications touting bread’s impressive sales. A recent Chicago Tribune article highlighted the growth of “breads with ‘natural’ in the name, or grains visible through the packaging, are among the best performing at grocery stores.” The article highlighted three brands, Nature’s Own, Nature’s Pride and Arnold, all of which have honey wheat varieties.

Honey wheat bread has become a staple in any baker’s sandwich bread line. Not only do honey wheat varieties taste great, but they also allow bakers to use an all-natural sweetener in an effort to present as clean of a label as possible. Increasing bread sales in the last five years are a tribute to bread bakers that have continued to offer varieties, such as honey wheat, to capitalize on consumer demands.

Do you make snack foods made with honey? Get them listed here by emailing info@bakingwithhoney.com