The 2026 Bund International Bread Festival attracted record crowds on March 14 and 15 at the Bund Finance Center in Shanghai's Huangpu district. Vendors sold 350,000 loaves of bread over the weekend, and several popular stalls sold out within three hours of opening.

This year's festival represents a significant expansion over the 2025 edition, which drew more than 640,000 visitors. The 2026 event has added over 70 new stalls, bringing together 220 brands from 45 cities at home and abroad. The scale of the event makes it one of the largest bread festivals in the country, with up to 160 brands appearing during a single week.

For many attendees, the appeal lies in the variety: two-thirds of the participating bakeries traveled from outside Shanghai, and nearly one-third of the shops are making their debut in the city.

A focus on savory fusion flavors

One of the main attractions this year is the culinary bread zone, which highlights a growing trend of "handheld meals." Instead of traditional sweet pastries, these creations use bread as a base for complex, savory dishes.

A crowd favorite from the first weekend was a ciabatta sandwich inspired by the traditional sour beef soup of Guizhou province. The baker uses a high-moisture dough to create a soft, elastic bread that absorbs a tangy broth made from fermented wild tomatoes, local peppers, and aromatic spices.

International expertise on display

The festival also provides a rare opportunity for the public to meet world-class baking experts. Among the featured guests is one of the founders of the Richemont Club, an Italian master who has run Pasticceria Bazzoli since 1991 and has more than three decades of experience in natural sourdough research and award-winning panettone.

Other notable participants include Tiziano Casillo, a prominent Italian pizza specialist and consultant for global chains, and Ayumi Tsuchibashi, manager of Continu, a popular bakery in Fukuoka, Japan. These experts are showcasing their signature techniques and products, offering visitors a taste of world-class baking expertise in the heart of the city.

If you go

• When: March 21 to 22, from 11 am until products are sold out
• Where: BFC, No 600 East Zhongshan Road Number Two
• Admission: Free entry with no prior reservation required

Sources: WeChat accounts of Huangpu district and BFC