SHARPER FOCUS
As the UK café sector continues to grow, operators are placing greater focus on how the ‘coffee moment’ is experienced. While beverages remain the primary driver of footfall, it is increasingly the food offer that determines dwell time, repeat visits and incremental spend.
Data from Lumina Intelligence’s Eating & Drinking Out Panel1 highlights the strength of the sector, with coffee shops and cafés now accounting for approximately 6.0% of total UK eating-out spend, up from 5.5% in 2022. Growth is being driven by premiumisation, convenience and a sharper focus on health and dietary inclusion. Against this backdrop, sweet treats are evolving from a simple add-on to a more strategic part of the proposition, particularly when they deliver familiarity, flexibility and operational simplicity.
Rather than chasing novelty for its own sake, many operators are prioritising indulgence-led purchasing decisions grounded in recognisable formats. The objective is not to turn the coffee occasion into a full dessert experience, but to offer a satisfying accompaniment that enhances perceived value while fitting seamlessly into fast-paced operations.
Premium baked goods served alongside coffee or tea can deliver indulgence in a controlled, accessible way. When chosen carefully, they also present a low-risk opportunity to drive margin through cross-selling, while maintaining speed of service during peak trading periods. Classic treats such as iced finger doughnuts and twisted pastries continue to perform strongly in cafés because they combine visual appeal, generous portioning and strong coffee-pairing credentials.
STANDARD OFFERING
From an operational perspective, accessible, ready-to-bake or defrost-and-serve options play an important role in managing labour pressures and reducing food waste. Products that offer predictable quality, portion control and extended defrosted shelf life deliver availability throughout the day, without committing to full-bake programmes or additional skill requirements.
One example is Central Foods’ KaterBake Plain Iced Twisted Yum Yum: a sweet finger doughnut topped with a light sugar glaze that’s also suitable for vegetarians. This classic indulgent bake delivers a handcrafted appearance and generous portioning on the counter, while supporting operational efficiency through frozen storage and simple defrost-and-serve preparation.
Alongside indulgence, dietary inclusion has become an essential consideration. Health-led purchasing behaviours and heightened awareness of allergens mean cafés are under increasing pressure to cater for coeliacs and free-from requirements, without introducing additional preparation steps or cross-contamination risk.
Rather than treating gluten-free options as niche, many operators now incorporate them as a standard part of the sweet treat range.
In this context, Central Foods’ KaterBake Midi Sugared Donuts have met PHE salt-reduction targets (2024), offering additional reassurance for operators seeking to balance indulgence with evolving health considerations.
Taken together, a visually indulgent classic bake and gluten-free alternative represent a practical, complementary approach to sweet treats on the café counter – broadening appeal while maintaining simplicity of execution.
Sweet bakery remains one of the most dependable categories in cafés but operators are increasingly looking for products that work harder on the counter. The strongest ranges are those that balance indulgence with inclusion and deliver that through formats that are simple to prepare, easy to manage and well-suited to coffee-led occasions. That’s exactly the thinking behind ranges such as KaterBake.
(1) UK Coffee Market Size, Growth & Share Statistics 2025.
