What are the main dessert consumption trends for Christmas 2025? The answers come from Sigep Observatory Christmas, the lens through which Italian Exhibition Group observes the market prior to Sigep – The World Expo for Foodservice Excellence, the international pastry, gelato, bakery, chocolate, coffee and pizza show, taking place 16–20 January 2026 at Rimini Expo Centre.
The market thermometer: “Over the last twelve months, 3.2 billion desserts were consumed outside the home in the five main European countries. The category grew by 6% in Europe: dessert is still an essential pleasure, even in a context of more cautious spending,” explains Matteo Figura, Out of Home sector expert and Foodservice Director at Circana Italia.
SIGEP WORLD OBSERVATORY BY IEG – CHRISTMAS 2025
Master pastry chef Luigi Biasetto, AMPI academic and member of Relais Dessert, provides the confirmation: “October 2025 saw a 28% increase in leavened products compared to 2024, and abroad the results are extraordinary: +28% in Paris, +40% in New York, +80% in Hong Kong. For Christmas 2025, we are presenting a ‘superfood’ panettone with wholemeal flour, seeds, thyme honey and turmeric, perfected through extensive ageing tests.”
Rome-born Marta Boccanera, pastry chef and vice-president of APEI, emphasises: “For this Christmas, we have created a purple panettone with wholemeal flour rich in anthocyanins (natural pigments found in fruits and flowers), enriched with pistachio and wild strawberry cream.”
On the European front, José Miguel Moreno, president of the Confederación Española de Pastelería: “Panettone is increasingly popular and the pistachio variety is the most sought after. Families are buying in advance and online orders, which are changing the seasonality of our industry, are on the rise.”
Antonio Bachour, one of America’s most influential pastry chefs, offers an international perspective: “Christmas trends are showing a return to traditional tastes reinterpreted using modern techniques. Consumers are looking for distinct flavours, light textures and refined presentations. For Christmas 2025, we are working on desserts that combine elegance and memories of the past.”
Denise Vagni, an emerging pastry chef from Rimini, Italy, completes the picture: “Panettone is a richer and more engaging dessert, able to offer a multisensory experience. Customers love to personalise their slice with a piping bag filled with pistachio or salted caramel cream.”
Read more latest industry news and developments in our free to download magazine.
Never miss a story… Follow us on:
LinkedIn: International Bakery
X: @int_bakery
YouTube: @Bakery-TV
Media contact
Joseph Clarke
Editor, International Bakery
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920
Email: [email protected]
