The bitter taste of coffee or the creamy texture of espresso drinks like latte or cappuccino is enjoyed by many people across the world. However, a lot of people prefer to have their morning specialty coffee with a small bite. That’s why cafes also sell croissants, muffins, and various other baked goods. Coffee shop pastries are often prepared by the establishments themselves. However, some cafes prefer to purchase baked goods from commercial bakeries instead of investing in expensive equipment that also takes up a lot of space. In this post, we’ll share more about the different types of coffee shop pastries and the trends in the sector. If you’re interested in how to sell or buy bulk pastries from bakery businesses, we’ll also discuss baked goods distribution.
Key takeaway: There are multiple types of coffee shop pastries. Cafes can easily cross-sell these products to their clients. Coffee shops often purchase baked goods in bulk from commercial bakeries or broadliners.
What Are Coffee Shop Pastries
These are baked goods that are commonly considered to be breakfast food but they are a suitable option for any time of the day. Coffee shop pastries can be both savory and sweet. They are popular in various regions of the world and most cuisines have different types of baked goods that can be combined with coffee or tea. Coffee shop pastries are often used in cafe and bakery marketing materials or deals. For example, instead of throwing them out, an establishment might offer discounts for croissants or other baked goods that are not very fresh but are still good to eat. In addition, cafes and other small food service establishments use coffee shop pastries as a way to cross-sell to their customers.
Popular Types of Coffee Shop Pastries
There are multiple different varieties of baked goods that are offered by coffee shops and other businesses. Let’s examine some of the most popular ones.
- Croissants. These fluffy pastries are a perfect complement to coffee or tea. There are different kinds of croissants. Both sweet and savory ones are popular coffee shop pastries.
- Muffins. They come in multiple flavors. The most popular muffins are blueberry and chocolate chip muffins.
- Scones. These traditional British pastries are also popular in the US. However, American scones are different from British ones. They are usually triangular in shape and are either filled or served alongside jam.
- Danish pastries. They combine cream cheese with fruit filling. Danish pastries can also be made savory.
- Macarons. They are considered a more luxurious and expensive option. French macarons come in various colors. Their texture makes them an excellent pairing option for both coffee and tea.
- Cake. A cake slice is both an excellent dessert option and a morning drink pairing. There are hundreds of different cake recipes. Some bakeries specialize in French coffee shop pastries and cakes while others offer all types of baked cakes.
- Eclairs. This classical pastry is among the best sellers in coffee shops because of its light texture, cream filling, and tasty topping.
- Quiches. Cafes offer both mini quiches and slices of regular ones. Some customers prefer savory quiche options as they are a more healthy and satiating breakfast.
- Seasonal or themed coffee shop pastries. During holiday seasons like Christmas or Halloween, many cafes offer seasonal coffee shop pastries. Examples include pumpkin muffins, gingerbread cookies, or heart-shaped desserts for Valentine’s Day.
- Gluten-free or vegan options. In recent years, sales of retail and wholesale products that are suitable for vegans or people with other dietary restrictions have become increasingly popular. That’s why both cafes and commercial bakery businesses aim to offer such coffee shop pastries.
Trends in Coffee Shop Pastries
One of the trends in baked goods is related to offering more healthy options. The number of health-conscious customers has increased in recent years. This includes low-sugar and gluten-free coffee shop pastries as well as keto or vegan desserts.
Seasonal baked goods have also become popular in recent years. They help cafes cross-sell products during different holiday seasons.
The foodie culture has changed various food niche markets. That’s also true for coffee shop pastries. Customers often wish to try new flavors with exotic or ethnic ingredients. Examples include using matcha, tahini, or yuzu as ingredients for baked goods.
Where to Buy Wholesale Coffee Shop Pastries
Businesses can purchase bulk baked goods at various places. Some of them use the old-school approach to order pastries by phone or email. However, most cafes, restaurants, or other businesses use various technologies to order coffee shop pastries. For example, commercial bakeries can create eCommerce catalogs through BlueCart. Furthermore, our wholesale ordering software helps both distributors and their customers. One of the benefits of a platform like BlueCart is that it connects sellers of coffee shop pastries with buyers.
Companies also have the option to partner directly with large manufacturers or with broadline distributors. The former is a suitable option for businesses that need large quantities of the same goods made by the manufacturer. Partnering with broadliners is a good choice with companies that prefer to partner with one supplier for a variety of product categories.
Frequently Asked Questions about Coffee Shop Pastries
If you wish to know more about opening a bakery or what are the differences between retail and wholesale prices, you’ll find information on these topics on our website. Below we’ve also shared further details about coffee shop pastries and commercial bakeries.
What Pastries Go Well with Coffee?
Most people prefer to combine their coffee with sweet pastries. That’s why some of the most popular coffee shop pastries are muffins, scones, and croissants with sweet filling. Spicy and creamy pastries like cinnamon rolls and cheese Danish can also be a great option for a cappuccino or a latte. Savory pastries such as quiches or cheese croissants are also a great option to enjoy your coffee. They can balance the sweetness of the beverage and are especially good to combine with seasonal coffee drinks (which are usually on the sweeter side).
How to Open a Commercial Bakery?
Starting a wholesale bakery can be a profitable business. That’s why we have a full guide on starting a bakery business. In short, the first step is to create a bakery business plan. The second stage is to find a suitable location and invest in the right bakery equipment. If you plan to sell only to businesses, the location doesn’t need to be centrally located or in a high-traffic area. Once your location is set, you need to get all the necessary licenses and permits. The next step is to focus on marketing and sales. Commercial bakeries can find clients among catering businesses, restaurants, hotels, cafes, and other food service businesses.
Can You Sell Baked Goods Online?
Yes. Sales of baked goods online are permitted but there are some regulations that need to be taken into account. These regulations are related to cottage food laws, food handling certification, and labeling requirements. Most online sales of baked goods are done by retail customers who order breakfast from their favorite bakery or coffee shop. Wholesale sales of baked goods are also common, but they are in the B2B category. Food service businesses often choose not to invest in bakery technology and equipment. Instead, they order bulk baked goods from commercial bakeries.
Order Bulk Coffee Shop Pastries with BlueCart
If you want to find suppliers of wholesale baked goods, BlueCart’s marketplace can be the right option. Our platform connects distributors in various fields with wholesale buyers. In addition to increasing your B2B sales, BlueCart can help you streamline various processes, optimize bulk deliveries, and scale your business. Schedule a free demo and see how BlueCart helps suppliers and wholesale buyers.