SAN ANTONIO — Fresh bakery departments saw dollar and unit sales improve in November, as the holiday period helped boost the category’s performance from the previous month, according to 210 Analytics.

For the four calendar weeks in November, perimeter bakery sales (including fixed- and random-weight products) edged up 1.7% year over year to $1.9 billion, with unit volume rising 1.6%, the San Antonio-based food market research firm reported, citing US multi-outlet data from Circana. That surpassed a 0.3% uptick in dollars and a 0.5% dip in units for October. Year-to-date perimeter bakery sales are up 1.3% in dollars to $21.4 billion, aided by a 1% gain in units for the 52-week period through Dec. 1.

Cakes, the largest perimeter bakery segment, experienced a surge as dollar sales rose 2.5% to $472 million for November and unit volume grew even more at 3.3% versus a year earlier. Pies, the next top-selling category, continued to decline as dollars fell 1.8% year over year to $324 million and units were down 2.9% for the month.

Including cakes, 8 of the 13 tracked perimeter bakery segments posted dollar sales growth in November, led by croissants up 7.7% to $76 million. Other gainers included donuts up 7.5% to $136 million, muffins up 4% to $119 million, cookies up 2.6% to $243 million, buns and rolls up 1.2% to $108 million, pastries and danish up 0.5% to $154.6 million and bread up 0.5% to $140 million, 210 Analytics said.

Along with pies, fresh bakery segments with dollar sales decreases for the month included bagels and bialys (down 5.2% to $33 million), brownies and bars (down 5.1% to $28 million), tortillas and wraps (down 4.1% to $10 million) and specialty desserts (down 3.1% to $0.2 million).

By unit volume in November, 7 of the 13 perimeter bakery categories showed increases, with croissants growing the fastest as units climbed 8.4% versus a year ago. Also seeing unit gains, besides cakes and croissants, were bread (up 6.8%), muffins (up 4.1%), cookies (up 2.2%), donuts (up 1.4%) and buns and rolls (up 1.3%).

Unit sales decreases during the month were led by brownies and bars, down 9.3% year over year. Besides pies, unit volume fell by 6.3% for specialty desserts, 4.4% for bagels and bialys, 4% for tortillas and wraps, and 0.6% for pastries and danish.

Though describing overall bakery sales growth as “subdued,” 210 Analytics president Anne-Marie Roerink called the perimeter bakery performance “a little stronger” for November.

“Cakes were the biggest sellers in November, but pies jumped into the No. 2 spot, with November sales of $324 million,” Roerink said in the monthly sales report. “While cookies dropped to third place, they did increase dollar and unit sales year over year.”

Among the highlights, she noted, “Cakes, cookies, bread, buns/rolls and other items drove growth for perimeter bakery.”

November proved to be another down month for the center-store bakery category. Unit volume declined 1.7% from a year ago and dollar sales fell 1.1% to $2.1 billion, more than the year-to-date decreases of 0.9% in units and 0.1% in dollars to $27.2 billion.

Two of the three tracked bakery segments for the center store saw both dollar and unit sales fall in November, led by desserts and sweet goods down by 6.2% in units and 4.2% in dollars to $303 million. Bread, buns and rolls, the largest segment, posted a 1% decrease in units and a 0.7% dip in dollars to $1.6 billion, the Circana data showed. Morning bakery was the only gainer, up 2.2% in units and 0.5% in dollars to $207 million.

For the total bakery category, including fresh and center store, results were flattish for November, with unit volume dipping 0.4% and dollar sales inching up 0.2% to $3.98 billion. Overall bakery sales for the 52-week period declined 0.2% in units but rose 0.5% in dollars to $48.5 billion.

Continuing the trend of recent months, overall bakery prices have stabilized — for now — in the face of lingering inflation, Roerink said.

For the total bakery category in November, the price per unit ticked up 0.6% to $3.97 and was up 20.3% from three years ago, 210 Analytics reported, citing Circana data. The price per unit rose 0.7% to $3.81 for the latest 52 weeks through November and up 24.6% compared with three years ago.

“Last year, the 60%-plus rise in egg prices heavily impacted bakery prices, and the renewed egg inflation as a result of HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) could do the same in the coming months, depending on the duration and severity of the HPAI outbreaks,” Roerink said.

On the plus side, grocery retail spending for Christmas — the sector’s largest holiday — looks promising, since consumers tend to splurge a bit more for holidays and this year’s Thanksgiving sales topped last year’s record, according to the 210 Analytics report. Total food and beverage sales climbed 12.4% in the week of Thanksgiving and 3.7% for November, based on Circana multi-outlet data.