Classic or chocolate, with filling and suitable for any occasion, panettone remains the undisputed king of the festive season worldwide. This trend was highlighted by the Sigep Observatory ahead of the International Gelato, Pastry, Bakery, Coffee and Pizza Show 2025. Organized by IEG – Italian Exhibition Group, this event will take place at the Rimini Expo Centre in Italy from January 18-22.
Marco Carniello, CBO at IEG, stated: “A positive European trend is emerging, with pastry consumption increasing by 1.5 percent compared to 2023.” He also highlighted that European pastry purchases now stand at EUR 11.4 billion, according to data sourced from CREST by Circana.
As for Matteo Figura, foodservice director at Circana Italy, he explained, “The UK, France and Germany lead growth in European pastry consumption.” In Italy specifically, pastry accounts for 40.6 percent of total consumption in the category at the European level, emphasizing its significance.
Flavia Morelli, IEG’s group exhibition manager, also noted, “Pastry chefs are facing challenges, with raw material prices increasing by 40 percent for hazelnuts and 50 percent for chocolate.” Furthermore, Swiss pastry chef Giuseppe Piffaretti emphasized that traditional panettone significantly contributes to supporting the economy of pastry shops in Ticino.
Moreover, Luigi Biasetto of AMPI academy, said: “Traditional Milanese panettone remains most popular. We anticipate a 22 percent increase in pandoro sales.”
APEI VP Marta Boccanera expects a 10-15 percent rise in panettone sales. While pandoro volumes are projected to double despite rising costs.
As for Roberto Rinaldini, from Relais Dessert International, he revealed: “Classic panettone represents 40 percent of our sales, and our gourmet Dante panettone is also growing steadily.”
Parisian baker Christophe Louie explained: “We’re focusing on unique creations like coffee, spice and pear panettone in collaboration with Maison Verlet. We’re also experimenting with seaweed and yuzu panettone as an aperitif, developed with Maison Petrossian.”
José Romero, a Spanish pastry chef and EPGB lecturer, shared: “Panettone sales in Spain have tripled over the last decade due to increased demand.”
Despite this, he noted: “The Spanish Christmas favorite remains ‘Turrón de yema,’ a classic delicacy still enjoyed by many during the holidays.”
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