In 2022, Poland secured the third position worldwide in the list of leading gingerbread exporters, as reported by the Economic Weekly of the Polish Economic Institute (PIE). According to PIE experts, Germany emerged as the primary international market for Polish gingerbread this year. Analyzing data from the Central Statistical Office, gingerbread constituted approximately 1.8% of the value of Poland’s export of bakery and pastry products in 2022. Poland exported 14.2 thousand tons of gingerbread, totaling nearly 44 million euros—a growth of over 8% compared to the previous year, with a 24.5% increase in value.
The PIE publication highlighted a significant surge in gingerbread sales abroad in 2022, with a 31% increase in volume and a 55% increase in value compared to 2019. Notably, Poland accounted for 11% of global gingerbread exports, ranking third after Canada and Germany, according to the International Trade Center.
In the first ten months of 2023, gingerbread exports experienced a decline of 12.2% in value and approximately 35% in volume compared to the same period last year. While experts anticipate a boost in exports during the pre-holiday season, they acknowledge the challenge of recovering from a one-third volume drop.
Major export destinations from January to October 2023 included EU countries, with Germany leading at 57.2% of the total value, followed by the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. Outside the EU, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States were among the prominent buyers.
As Poland navigates challenges in the gingerbread market, industry observers remain optimistic about a potential rebound in the upcoming festive season.