Breakfasts of champions: new dishes to start the day

Add some protein

The dominance of McDonald’s and Gregg’s suggests that indulgence wins out in the breakfast market, but a diverse market creates a range of opportunities. Graham Hart, culinary lead at workplace caterer Eurest, says: “Health consciousness is reshaping workplace breakfasts, with younger generations particularly focused on functionality and how food fuels their day.

“Classic breakfast dishes can be nutritionally improved by reducing meat protein and introducing alternatives such as eggs paired with vibrant, gut-friendly options such as kimchi, which adds both flavour and health benefits. Nuts, lentils and pulses are also gaining popularity, along with creative twists such as breakfast salad bars featuring high-protein toppings.”

Erwan Inizan, Northern Europe sales director of French frozen bakery manufacturer Bridor, says: “With workers likely to increase their office-based days in 2025, for operators, it’s about getting that balance right between quality and price, which is where meal deals or special offers can help to give breakfast sales a lift. 

“Classic pastries, such as croissants or pain au chocolat, are the ideal accompaniment to a morning coffee, and we’re seeing demand for a broader range of croissant flavours, like chocolate or fruit, so operators should mix up their offering to see what engages their customers.”

Rising stars

With sourdough starters having taken on the status of currency among some lockdown home bakers, the out-of-home market has also benefited. Rebecca Calveley, trade marketing manager for La Lorraine Bakery Group, says: “Sourdough is considered a rising star in the catering market and is a popular choice across catering outlets. Panesco’s Rustic Loaf with Sourdough White, for instance, has become a firm favourite among caterers. “In terms of innovations and what suppliers are bringing to the out-of-home breakfast foods market, expect to see more globally-inspired options and creative takes on breakfast classics.”

Tess Warnes, dietician with food procurement specialist allmanhall, says: “It’s easy to boost your fibre intake in the morning – two slices of wholemeal toast with baked beans provides more than a third of an adult’s daily fibre intake.”

With pastries a popular choice everywhere from high street cafés to hotel buffets, Délifrance cites its consumer research which shows that 60% of pastry products are bought on impulse, with the key impulse triggers being appearance at 42% and aroma at 41%.

Stéphanie Brillouet, marketing director, says: “Good-looking pastries with a balance of exciting toppings and fillings – in both new and traditional flavours – catch the attention of consumers.” Délifrance’s new Vanilla Semi-Finished Teardrop “is an innovative solution that offers endless customisation possibilities for coffee shops, cafés, restaurants and bakeries”.

Samantha Winsor, marketing manager of Schulstad Bakery Solutions, part of Lantmännen Unibake, says research has shown that pastries “can extend the breakfast occasion by capitalising on different parts of the day”. While 52% of consumers purchase Danish pastries as a breakfast staple or on-the-go option in the morning, 42% also buy them as a mid-morning snack and 20% as an alternative lunch or mid-afternoon treat.

With growing take-up of customisable options on menus, Ferrero UK & Ireland has launched the Nutella Electronic Dispenser, delivering a 15g single portion. Aimed at the breakfast buffet market, it allows customers to add Nutella to their choice of breakfast pastry.

Cereal winners

Cereals work well as part of breakfast on-the-go offers. Philip Rayner, managing director and co-founder of Glebe Farm Foods, says: “Oats are a rich source of fibre, so breakfasts based around it, such as porridge, overnight oats or granola, are experiencing a significant rise in popularity.

“Our PureOaty portfolio of gluten-free products is hugely popular with foodservice operators and venues looking to offer authentically British, sustainable and free-from breakfast options.” Alternatively, the three flavoured varieties in Glebe Farm’s granola range – Choco Chip, Maple & Banana and Strawberry – “strike the balance between health and enjoyment, providing a ‘permissibly indulgent’ option.”

David Bone, foodservice channel manager at Weetabix, reports that Ready Brek has seen a 17.9% uptake in volumes, “demonstrating Britain’s growing taste for oats”, and is the leading porridge in healthcare, especially in care homes.

Alternatively, Alpen’s combination of rolled oats, wholegrain wheat flakes, hazelnuts, almonds and raisins is “a traditional yet revitalising way to start the day”, while Alpen’s no added sugar variant “caters to health-conscious consumers without compromising on taste”.

BWH Hotels, the UK’s largest independent hotel group, recently surveyed its Reward members as part of a Free Breakfast campaign running throughout 2025. Chief executive Tim Rumney says: “The full English still reigns supreme and our survey found that 60% of guests would choose this classic over anything else. However, more contemporary options such as avocado on toast (30%) and breakfast burritos (15%) highlight opportunities for some innovation.”

Barnaby MacAdam, development chef at Santa Maria Foodservice, believes the growing popularity of the breakfast burrito is “largely due to how easy it is to customise to individual tastes and dietary preferences. Operators can tap into classic British breakfast flavours and create a burrito with sausage, baked bean and salsa, or jalapeño scrambled egg with avocado, tomato and salsa.”

MacAdam sums up: “The beauty of breakfast and brunch is how versatile these meals have become. Pretty much anything goes as consumers’ palates have become more varied.”

Suppliers

allmanhall allmanhall.co.uk

Bridor www.bridor.co.uk

Délifrance www.delifrance.com/uk

Ferrero UK & Ireland www.ferrerofoodservice.com

Glebe Farm Foods www.glebefarm.co.uk

La Lorraine Bakery Group www.lalorraine.com/gb-en/professional

Lantmännen Unibake www.lantmannenunibake.co.uk

Santa Maria Foodservice www.pauligpro.com/uk

Weetabix Foodservice www.weetabixfoodservice.co.uk