Walk into any supermarket with a bakery counter, and you can buy a Marvel cake for your eight-year-old's birthday. Spider-Man, the Avengers, PAW Patrol – licensed character products for children are so normalised in retail bakery that we have stopped noticing them. The licensing model is mature, the margins are understood and the consumer demand is consistent. Now consider this: there is a generation of adult readers – overwhelmingly women in their twenties, thirties and forties – with...

Jason's Sourdough is expanding its bakery portfolio with the launch of Crumpet Thins.

Family-run bakery Coughlans has closed all 32 stores without warning, after National Insurance rises, spiking fuel costs and a heatwave-hit summer struck in close succession.

AB Mauri and BAKO Group have agreed a wholesale distribution partnership that will see BAKO list and exclusively distribute two Aromaferm product lines across the UK, adding to its existing bakery ingredients portfolio.

Döhler has acquired UK-based food technology company Nukoko, strengthening its position in the rapidly emerging cocoa-free chocolate alternatives market.

Finsbury Food Group has expanded its licensed celebration cake portfolio with the launch of its first-ever Hello Kitty-themed celebration cake, developed in partnership with Sanrio and available exclusively in Tesco stores nationwide.

Planet A Foods has expanded its cocoa-free ingredient portfolio with the launch of ChoViva No Added Sugar, targeting growing demand for healthier indulgence options across the confectionery and bakery sectors.

Marks & Spencer has brought back its Strawberry & Creme Sandwich, alongside a new chocolate variant and the launch of sweet dipping products.

Spanish bakery group Europastry has agreed to acquire Illinois-based Highland Baking Company, pushing annual revenue above €2bn and extending its footprint in the North American foodservice market.

Orkla Foods has agreed to acquire Danish bakery company TC Brød, strengthening its position in laminated dough and seasonal bake-off products through its Easyfood platform.

As Angel Yeast marks its 40th year, Chairman Xiong Tao sets out the company's position on yeast protein, extract technology, sustainability credentials, and regional manufacturing investment.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority has cleared Associated British Foods' (ABF) proposed deal to buy Hovis, following an in-depth Phase 2 investigation into the anticipated merger.