Frozen baked goods: the single biggest growth driver in the bakery market

Traditional bread in Russia is growing at a modest 1.5 % per year. The frozen-bakery par-bake segment is in a different league entirely. Per BusinesStat, frozen-bakery sales hit 731,000 tonnes in 2024 — double the 2020 volume. The trend carried into 2025, adding another 8 %.

Retail is building out in-store bakeries. Major supermarket chains have multiplied the number of in-store bakeries several times over. What they want from suppliers is not finished bread but frozen par-baked pieces that finish in the store oven. The fresh-bread aroma pulls customers in, and the logistics get a lot simpler.

Grab-and-go is pulling ahead. The hand-pie / filled-pastry / donut category was up 19 % in 2025. Consumers are eating away from home more, and snacking on the move.

Production economics. Frozen product dramatically extends shipping reach — a bakery with a blast-freeze line can service retail outlets nationwide, not just within a 24-hour distribution radius.

The Modern Baking 2025 conference put the number plainly: frozen-bakery is growing at 14 % per year. Plants investing in freeze capacity today get a seat at the fastest-growing segment in the industry.

The real question is which freezing technology fits. Batch blast chambers work for lower volumes. Spiral freezers handle continuous flow. Tunnel lines are the call for high-volume industrial plants.