Today's Dessert and Cafe Trends — 2026년 5월 18일
As of May 18, 2026, the combination of Dubai chocolate, matcha, and pistachio has become a global trend, directly influencing domestic franchises and bakery brands. Paris Baguette has introduced "Cafe de Dessert," a specialized store format featuring a Parisian vibe, while the core keywords in the bakery industry remain premiumization, character collaborations, and wellness.
Today's Dessert and Cafe Trends — 2026년 5월 18일
Highlights of Today's New Menu
Paris Baguette — Launch of "Cafe de Dessert" Stores
- Category: Bakery / Dessert Specialty Store
- Launch Date/Period: Operating since April 2026 (based on Think Food reports)
- Key Features: A store format centered on a "Parisian sensibility," offering a premium dessert lineup that differentiates it from standard Paris Baguette locations. Both the store atmosphere and menu composition are inspired by European cafe culture.
- Why it’s worth noting: This move highlights the shift of bakery franchises toward premium dessert cafes. "Cafe de Dessert" introduces a strategy of format diversification within the same brand.
SPC Samlip — 10 Types of Sanrio Characters Bread
- Category: Bakery (Private Brand Collaboration)
- Launch Date/Period: Vending machine mini pop-ups operated in Seoul until May 14, 2026
- Key Features: Featuring 10 types of bread adorned with Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty and Kuromi, targeting Gen Z and Alpha (Zalpha) generations via pop-up vending machines in Seoul. The packaging is designed to be a collectible item.
- Why it’s worth noting: This shows the growing trend of bakery brands leveraging IP collaborations to attract younger consumers, combined with offline experiential channels like vending machine pop-ups.
Starbucks Korea — Expanding Dubai Chocolate Drink Line
- Category: Beverage
- Launch Date/Period: Launched globally in January 2026; currently being implemented in Korea
- Key Features: Includes two types—Iced Dubai Chocolate Mocha and Iced Dubai Chocolate Matcha—both topped with pistachio cold foam. It captures the global hit combination of shredded wheat (kataifi) chocolate flavor with spicy nuances.
- Why it’s worth noting: Launched by Starbucks Global in January 2026, this line has been the catalyst for bringing the Dubai chocolate trend into the mainstream, leading to similar menu offerings in independent cafes and convenience stores across Korea.
Franchise Trends
- A Twosome Place: Announced on April 10, 2026, that it achieved record-high performance for three consecutive years, with 2025 revenue reaching 582.4 billion won and operating profit at 36.3 billion won. This represents a 12% and 11% increase, respectively, leading growth in the premium dessert cafe sector.
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Compose Coffee: The "All-Day Compose" series, including the "Vanilla Cream Latte" launched earlier this year, sold over 350,000 cups in its first week (reported April 22, 2026). The success has led to the introduction of character merchandise sets to enhance customer experience.
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Paris Baguette: By opening "Cafe de Dessert" stores, the brand has declared a transition from a simple bakery to a "premium dessert cafe" format. The KIBA 2026 exhibition for K-Bakery also highlighted advancements in frozen dough, smart equipment, and premium ingredients, confirming a move toward overall industry upscaling.
Convenience Store & Bakery New Products
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SPC Samlip — 10 Types of Sanrio Characters Bread: Using popular IP like Hello Kitty and Kuromi, with vending machine pop-ups in Seoul until May 14. A clear "collectible" strategy targeting the Zalpha generation.
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Emerging Dessert Brands (Juny Cookie, Egg Roll, Damian, Corner Cake Studio, etc.): Participated in the Seoul Coffee Expo and the Korea International Bakery Fair (KIBA) in April 2026, showcasing differentiated products like preservative-free natural baby choux, HACCP-certified bakery items, and premium desserts. B2B entry for independent brands and small studios is accelerating.
Today's Trend Keywords
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Dubai Chocolate: Originating from the Dubai viral trend, this combination of kataifi and pistachio cream entered the mainstream after Starbucks Global launched its Iced Dubai Chocolate line in January 2026. Independent cafes in the U.S. and Korea are following suit.
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Matcha × Pistachio Combination: With Starbucks featuring the "Matcha Pistachio Latte" (Matcha + Pistachio sauce + Chocolate cream cold foam) in their global menu, this pairing has become a 2026 essential. It has become a standard combination for new cafe menu items in Korea.
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Character IP Collaboration Bakery: Represented by SPC Samlip's Sanrio bread and Compose Coffee's merchandise sets. Food items are increasingly functioning as "goods" that stimulate the desire to collect, changing purchasing motivations among Gen Z and Zalpha generations.
Global Comparison
In the global market, Starbucks has made high-end ingredient combinations—like Dubai chocolate, matcha, and pistachio—a staple since January 2026. They also added five new bakery items in February 2026, such as the "Dubai Chocolate Bite" and "Cookie Croissant Swirl," leading the trend of integrating beverages and food. While Korea shares these ingredient trends across both independent and franchise cafes, the focus on character IP collaboration goods reflects a unique K-content phenomenon.
Upcoming Events to Watch
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KIBA 2026 (Korea International Bakery Fair) Follow-up: The commercialization and store entry of brands that participated in the April 15–19 event (Juny Cookie, Egg Roll, etc.) are expected to gain momentum after May. Watch for B2B contract results in frozen dough and smart equipment.
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A Twosome Place Summer Menu: With record profits for three years, the company is set to launch its summer menu, which will likely incorporate the Dubai chocolate and matcha trends seen throughout the first half of 2026.
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Paris Baguette "Cafe de Dessert" Expansion: Whether additional stores open will likely be announced around June, depending on the success of the current dessert-specialized format.
Action Items for Readers
- Menu Planners: Develop and test signature beverages or desserts combining Dubai chocolate (kataifi + pistachio) and matcha within this month. With Starbucks signaling global mass-market appeal, differentiating your own recipe is urgent.
- Cafe Operators: Review character IP collaboration strategies. Even small-scale collaborations or local artist partnerships create significant social media buzz. Consider pairing these with low-cost, high-engagement offline channels like mini pop-up vending machines.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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