Everything is well if it starts well

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/2-3.

Traditional breakfast is increasingly difficult to fit into the eating habits of modern people, which is why breakfast and breakfast catering is now the fastest growing type of meal and catering service.

Breakfast has already evolved from an early morning ritual into an all-day “project” before Covid, with a growing demand for spicy ingredients, global flavours and meat-free options. A good dose of ingenuity is needed to appeal to target groups, so breakfast catering is increasingly becoming a showcase for creativity and uniqueness in both hotels and restaurants, where variety and quality are the key to success. Lunch can be substituted with a second breakfast, and coffee and pastries are replaced by an afternoon brunch.

Each to their own

Health-conscious consumers recognise the importance of a healthy breakfast, but not everyone has enough time to prepare it or enjoy it in a restaurant – these people mayn’t necessarily skip breakfast either. Food manufacturers are developing products with great imagination, often in the form of snacks, packaged in bite-sized portions. The development and marketing of ready-to-eat, bite-sized snacks is also revolutionising the way consumers perceive and use frozen foods.

“When we talk about breakfast products, we have to take into consideration that people’s breakfast habits are different when they simply have breakfast and when they are served breakfast. This is why we have put together an assortment for end consumers and the retailers who sell to them, and another one for HoReCa operators”,

explains Ákos Bősze, HoReCa business development executive of METRO.

So-called live stations provide guests with the opportunity to prepare their own breakfast  for themselves

Content and format

At the level of macrotrends breakfast is influenced by the same trends and attitudes that affect other meals in general – adapted to their specificities, obviously. Health overrides almost all other trends in breakfast as well, especially among millennials and Generation Z. With scientific research establishing a link between nutrition and mental health, it seems likely that this trend will manifest itself in even more personalised, functional breakfasts that can meet the most specific needs. Breakfast is generally considered as the healthiest main meal. Nutrient-rich foods that build both the body and the mind are in the spotlight. Breakfast eateries are using whole grains, low-calorie foods and superfoods such as chia seeds, quinoa and acai. Many breakfast restaurants are now catering to free-from dietary preferences: they offer sugar-, lactose- and gluten-free and even anti-inflammatory dishes. Functional foods such as smoothies fortified with adaptogens are more and more popular.

From breakfast to evening

As the structure of the traditional working day keeps changing, so do consumer habits and expectations about the timing of meals. The hybrid breakfast-lunch menu is taking off, together with all-day meals and brunch platters. Breakfast restaurants tend to turn away from high-calorie foods, especially from those full of sugar. Alternatives to these may include light sandwiches, flatbreads loaded with vegetables and cheese, and savoury porridge with spices, nuts and olive oil. Asian street food has a strong influence on new breakfast dishes, most of which are easy to eat on the go. Classic breakfast dishes are revamped in the name of premiumisation. Toast – which used to be just a slice of bread with butter or jam – is now becoming a real gastronomic experience. Today’s gourmet toasts are made with premium artisan toppings such as avocado, dried tomatoes, whipped ricotta or smoked salmon. Some places are serving shareable breakfast platters, with which the goal is to enhance the communal dining experience, even for large groups.

An almost absurd mix of breakfasts: ramen noodles with pancakes, sausage and egg pieces and maple syrup

While overseas the culture of restaurant breakfasts is very different from ours, let’s see some of the interesting findings. More than a quarter of respondents said they would be highly motivated to improve their breakfast offering if they could get help – recipe and menu ideas, brunch concepts, communication ideas – to improve their menus and marketing activities. Restaurant managers believe that digital solutions would result in a more efficient use of staff resources. It is needless to say that the brunch trend is also fuelled by social media, with guests often posting pictures of lavish buffet meals. As the world of brunch evolves, it is becoming clear that this type of meal is much more than a breakfast ritual. It is a chance to be creative, express ourselves and build communities – and this is true for both those who eat breakfast and those who serve them. //

A constantly expanding portfolio

Anna Pókecz
marketing manager
Cerbona

When shaping our product portfolio, we take into account the latest market trends and consumer needs, so new solutions based on health-conscious nutrition, such as breakfasts with high protein and fibre content, and gluten-free and plant-based breakfasts are constantly added to our offering. Cerbona also pays attention to trendy flavours with its new launches.

Classic and innovative

István Mikos
CEO
Ceres

The Ceres product range is always adapting to changing consumer and nutrition trends, so we have wholemeal and low-carb breads, while faithfully preserving classic Ceres products too, for instance the timeless values of Bükki farmer bread. Ceres offers a selection of products that suits everybody’s needs, from our classic breads to rye, grain and wholemeal products, in line with modern dietary trends. //

Supporting a more health-conscious lifestyle

Melinda Mizser-Sebők
brand manager
Danone

Danone’s portfolio is constantly adapting to domestic consumption trends and the growing demand for a health-conscious lifestyle. The Activia range provides a natural way to support digestive wellbeing, while consumers looking for flexitarian and plant-based solutions can choose the Alpro range: naturally lactose-free, vegan alternatives. //

The breakfast experience

Ákos Bősze
HoReCa
business development executive
METRO

The breakfast experience is greatly enhanced by the smell of freshly baked pastries. Our pastry selection has become bigger and in addition to the small pastries that can be baked on-site, we also offer baguettes, rolls and buns as a reaction to growing demand. In response to special dietary needs, we are expanding our free-from product line, offering complex solutions for sugar-, gluten and lactose-free diets.//

Mini pastries and classic treats

Zoltán Matskási
marketing and
business development
director
Pek-Snack

Fresh baked goods are a must for the morning meal. Our pastries are practical little treats that aren’t only easy to eat, but also perfect for busy weekdays – to take them with you and enjoy them on the go. Mini pastries, which are both practical and stylish, have also showed up on the breakfast tables in hotels. They are easy to combine with other foods.//

Innovation and diversity

Beáta Bukovenszki
head of domestic sales
Gallicoop

Powder-based breakfasts

Adrienn Horváth
marketing manager
TUTTI

TUTTI Kft. is a leading company in the production of cocoa and coffee drink powders in Hungary.

Although breakfast beverage consumption habits – especially that of coffee – are constantly changing, there is still stable demand for powder-based foods and drinks, because they are quick and easy to prepare and they taste good.

We will soon launch new flavours in the TUTTI iced coffee range. TUTTI waffle, muffin and brownie powder bases make classic and modern favourites easy to prepare. //

100% fruit and cereals in a pouch

Anett Novák
senior brand
manager
Maspex Olympos

Quality food and drinks for everybody

Viktória Ozoróczy
shop division head
Shell Hungary