The biggest 2025 Christmas trends, according to SIGEP

What are the main trends for the coming Christmas season? And how is dessert consumption changing in Europe? 

The answers to these questions come from SIGEP Observatory Christmas, the lens through which the 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, scheduled to take place at Rimini Expo Centre from 16-20 January 2026.

The market thermometer speaks for itself: despite a slight decline in out-of-home visits (-0.6%), desserts continue to grow and gain ground in Europe. 

“Over the past 12 months, 3.2 billion desserts were consumed outside the home in the five main European countries. The category grew by 6% in Europe with Italy recording a +2.3% increase, confirmation that 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. 

Christmas 2025, according to international pastry chefs

The data shows that not only is consumption growing, but so is interest in artisan products. Master pastry chef Luigi Biasetto, AMPI academic and member of Relais Dessert, says: “Despite lower purchasing power, desserts are still a refuge. 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 and +80% in Hong Kong. 

“For Christmas 2025, we are presenting a “superfood” panettone with wholemeal flour, seeds, thyme honey and turmeric, as well as a version with ricotta, figs and walnuts, perfected through extensive ageing tests.”

Rome-born Marta Boccanera, pastry chef and vice-president of APEI, emphasises the importance of balancing creativity and quality at a time when the sector is being challenged by price increases: “The rise in the cost of raw materials, especially chocolate, is a hindrance, but people are constantly on the lookout for unique and surprising products. 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. Innovating while keeping the quality high, without succumbing to last-minute bargains, is the key”.

On the European front, José Miguel Moreno, president of the Confederación Española de Pastelería, reports on the evolution of the Spanish market: “Christmas consumption is extending and demand for baked goods is growing: 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 on a pastry industry that is changing pace and form: “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, such as the Golden Hour log with chestnut, miso caramel and spiced citrus fruits, as well as offerings that reinterpret classics with praline, dark chocolate, cranberries and toasted dried fruit.”

Denise Vagni, an emerging pastry chef from Rimini, says there is a new direction towards an increasingly customised tasting experience for panettone: “This year’s trend sees panettone evolving into a richer and more engaging dessert that can offer a multi-sensory experience. Customers love to personalise their slice with a piping bag filled with pistachio, hazelnut or salted caramel cream, served on the side. A simple gesture that transforms the tasting experience and brings tradition into a more interactive and creative dimension.”

SIGEP World, the artisan foodservice industry authority

Among the new features of the 2026 edition of SIGEP World is the project that takes gelato beyond the confines of the classic ice-cream parlour. With the “Gelato Meets Chains” and “What Is Gelato?” initiatives, SIGEP World will offer operational tools designed for hotels, coffee shop chains and restaurant groups interested in including gelato in their menus in a continuous, efficient and easily recognisable way.

This approach reflects market changes, where traditional craftsmanship must interact with more standardised procedures. The SIGEP World pavilions will also host the prestigious Gelato World Cup, the biennial competition that brings together the most successful teams on the international scene.

The event will broaden its focus to the world of bars, which are undergoing rapid and significant change. The Innovation Bar will show how the adoption of advanced robotics, lightweight automated systems and more fluid processes can increase productivity, while quality coffee is becoming established as a professional skill rather than just a passing trend. 

Meetings, demonstrations and analyses of international best practices will offer a concrete interpretation of the new directions the sector is taking. A further focus will be on high-end hospitality, explored through the Luxury Hotel Food Experience: an observatory that explores service aesthetics, gastronomic identity, sustainability in the supply chain and new forms of guest relations. Here, F&B managers, pastry chefs from large chains, international training institutes and researchers engaged in the study of premium hospitality dynamics will come together.

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