Life is short. Maybe that’s why desserts come first in the in-store bakery channel. In fact, cakes, pies and other indulgent treats — many of which are supplied by wholesale bakers — racked up $6.1 billion in sales in 2012, or 47.9% of dollars spent in in-store bakeries, according to Chicago-based Mintel Group’s report released in March 2013.

Certainly, creativity abounds in this category, and much of that creativity is coming from other product segments. For instance, Denver-based Legendary Baking, which won 65 ribbons at this year’s American Pie Championships, borrowed a few pages out of the beverage industry’s game plan by combining various types of fruit such as mangos and key limes in a single dessert, noted Mark Van Iwaarden, marketing director.