Breakfast trends 2026:
Three opportunity areas for UK hospitality

Unless under a rock, most of you would have at least seen the M&S Red Diamond Strawberry & Crème Sandwich launch in June.

Like us, some of you may have tried it, and while we couldn't finish the thing, we can't deny it was as interesting as it was delicious - the tangy-sweet strawberries and velvety whipped cream cheese making yet another strong case that fun first and logic second is a viable way to go in food development.

Whipped dairy products continue to enjoy a serious spotlight in the UK, with searches for 'whipped cream cheese' on Google Trends on an upward trajectory for the last five years.

Where does breakfast come into it? Well, the NYC-style bagel boom is another UK food trend on the up and up, with flavoured schmear (or cream cheese) a standout element that hasn't fully made its way across the pond yet.

Egg Soldiers recently hit the Big Apple again for a food safari, and Liberty Bagel's huge array of flavoured cream cheeses never looked so interesting.

Avocado & Herb, Oreo, Honey Bacon Sriracha, Olive Pimento - the list goes on and on. And, with bagels the rising star of bread-based on-the-go breakfast in the UK, 2026 might just be the perfect time to push the cream cheese boat out, following M&S's strawberry-centric lead.

Welcome to the new bakery craze, and breakfast is a benefactor.

Yes, we're talking about Korean salt bread - a fusion of fluffy croissant and classic dinner roll, with a hint of Vietnamese baguette.

Featuring a golden, crispy shell topped with flakes of salt and housing a buttery, soft interior; Korean salt bread is effectively a modern rebrand of the Japanese shio pan (salt bread), having gone viral in South Korea last year, and is now making waves in the USA, Australia, Signapore and Canada.

Said to be perfect for dipping in morning coffee, Korean salt bread can also be topped and/or filled with sweet or savoury ingredients, from matcha cream to crispy bacon.

Logical next step? Its arrival here in the UK, with this bread carrier ticking plenty of on-the-go boxes.

And, considering headline health trends, its bite-sized build could be a potential interest area for hospitality development teams.

An increasing number of major brands are considering the broadening impact of weight-loss drugs - both in terms of the appetites of those on the likes of Ozempic and Wegovy, and the wider reaction of consumers seeing food consumption so uniquely thrown into the spotlight.

And while the likes of Gregg's aren't about to go for Korean salt bread by name, could a salted, fluffy bread concept in miniature be a trend-led train to jump on in 2026?

A few of us Egg Soldiers are mad for matcha, and at any time of day.

And we know the best spots (Omotesando Koffee, which adds a splash of date molasses, for one in London).

And while the matcha craze isn't likely to go anywhere in 2026, there looks to be a new challenger about to enter the fray: hojicha.

The Japanese roasted green tea, which actually comes from the same plant as matcha, is now the subject of serious scrutiny across industry media, with London matcha bar Jenki one of a growing number of on-trend outposts offering a hojicha latte.

So, what does hojicha taste like? Well, while matcha is bright and grassy, hojicha has a mellow sweetness, toasted nuttiness and subtle caramel notes.

Hojicha also has about a third of the caffeine content of matcha, promoting both clarity and calm.

Significant in traditional Japanese tea culture, Hojicha is consumed hot as a mid-afternoon/evening wind down, with the concept of a Hojicha Latte a modern pivot.

Drinking rituals are evolving fast, driven by the disruptive Gen Z, with lower caffeine hits and the feeling of calm fitting nicely into diversifying needs in the morning.

And, like matcha, a hojicha latte sounds like a status symbol - a lifestyle accessory for wandering around town with.

That's very relevant in and around the malleable, non-mandatory breakfast time.