Commercial Bakeries
Description
Commercial bakeries are establishments that specialize in the production of bread, rolls, and other bakery items distinct from cookies and crackers. These facilities focus on creating fresh and frozen goods tailored for immediate sale or distribution to various customers. The core activities involve flour mixing, yeast activation, dough preparation, baking, cooling, packaging, and final quality control. Many operations prioritize daily freshness to meet consumer demand for high-quality loaves of bread. Operators in this sector range from large industrial facilities serving retail chains and food service institutions to smaller neighborhood shops catering to local residents. Large commercial entities often manage sophisticated supply chains, automated equipment, and central distribution networks to support extensive regions. In contrast, smaller bakeries may function as independent vendors or subsidiaries of regional conglomerates. The scale of production varies significantly, with some factories manufacturing tons of product weekly while others operate on a much smaller daily batch basis. Geographically, these businesses can be localized within specific communities or positioned strategically near major urban centers to reduce delivery times. Some bakeries extend their reach by supplying hotels, restaurants, and grocery stores directly, ensuring a steady commercial pipeline. The industry represents a vital component of the food manufacturing landscape, blending traditional culinary techniques with modern manufacturing efficiency.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Manufacturing 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Manufacturing sector comprises establishments engaged in the mechanical, physical, or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products. The assembling of component parts of manufactured products is considered manufacturing, except in cases where the activity is appropriately classified in Sector 23, Construction. Establishments in the Manufacturing sector are often described as plants, factories, or mills and characteristically use power-driven machines and material handling equipment. However, establishments that transform materials or substances into new products by hand or in the worker's home and those engaged in selling to the general public products made on the same premises from which they are sold, such as bakeries, candy stores, and custom tailors, may also be included in this sector. Manufacturing establishments may process materials or may contract with other establishments to process their materials for them. Both types of establishments are included in manufacturing. Selected industries in the Manufacturing sector are comprised solely of establishments that process materials for other establishments on a contract or fee basis. Beyond these dedicated contract manufacturing industries, establishments that process materials for other establishments are generally classified in the Manufacturing industry of the processed materials. The materials, substances, or components transformed by manufacturing establishments are raw materials that are products of agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, or quarrying as well as products of other manufacturing establishments. The materials used may be purchased directly from producers, obtained through customary trade channels, or secured without recourse to the market by transferring the product from one establishment to another, under the same ownership. The new product of a manufacturing establishment may be finished in the sense that it is ready for utilization or consumption, or it may be semi-finished to become an input for an establishment engaged in further manufacturing. For example, the product of the alumina refinery is the input used in the primary production of aluminum; primary aluminum is the input to an aluminum wire drawing plant; and aluminum wire is the input for a fabricated wire product manufacturing establishment. The subsectors in the Manufacturing sector generally reflect distinct production processes related to material inputs, production equipment, and employee skills. In the machinery area, where assembling is a key activity, parts and accessories for manufactured products are classified in the industry of the finished manufactured item when they are made for separate sale. For example, an attachment for a piece of metalworking machinery would be classified with metalworking machinery. However, component inputs from other manufacturing establishments are classified based on the production function of the component manufacturer. For example, electronic components are classified in Subsector 334, Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing, and stampings are classified in Subsector 332, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing. Manufacturing establishments often perform one or more activities that are classified outside the Manufacturing sector of NAICS. For instance, almost all manufacturing has some captive research and development or administrative operations, such as accounting, payroll, or management. These captive services are treated the same as captive manufacturing activities. When the services are provided by separate establishments, they are classified in the NAICS sector where such services are primary, not in manufacturing. The boundaries of manufacturing and the other sectors of the classification system can be somewhat blurry. The establishments in the Manufacturing sector are engaged in the transformation of materials into new products. Their output is a new product. However, the definition of what constitutes a new product can be somewhat subjective. As clarification, the following activities are considered manufacturing in NAICS: <table width=100%><tr><td width=10%> </td><td><dl><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Milk bottling and pasteurizing;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Water bottling and processing;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Fresh fish packaging (oyster<br/> shucking, fish filleting);</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Apparel jobbing (assigning<br/> materials to contract<br/> factories or shops for<br/> fabrication or other contract<br/> operations) as well as<br/> contracting on materials<br/> owned by others;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Printing and related activities;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Ready-mix concrete production;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Leather converting;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Grinding lenses to<br/> prescription;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Wood preserving;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Lapidary work for the trade;</dt></dl></td><td width=10%> </td><td><dl><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Electroplating, plating, metal<br/> heat treating, and<br/> polishing for the trade;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Fabricating signs and<br/> advertising displays;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Rebuilding or remanufacturing<br/> machinery (i.e., automotive<br/> parts);</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Making manufactured homes<br/> (i.e., mobile homes) or<br/> prefabricated buildings,<br/> whether or not assembling/<br/> erecting at the customers'<br/> site;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Ship repair and renovation;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Machine shops; and</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Tire retreading.</dt></dl></td><td width=10%> </td></tr></table> Conversely, there are activities that are sometimes considered manufacturing, but which for NAICS are classified in another sector (i.e., not classified as manufacturing). They include: 1. Logging, classified in Sector 11, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, is considered a harvesting operation; 2. Beneficiating ores and other minerals, classified in Sector 21, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction, is considered part of the activity of mining; 3. Constructing structures, assembling prefabricated buildings, and fabricating at the construction site by contractors are classified in Sector 23, Construction; 4. Breaking bulk and reselling in smaller lots, including packaging, repackaging, or bottling products, such as liquors or chemicals; assembling and selling computers on a custom basis; sorting and reselling scrap; mixing and selling paints to customer order; and cutting metals to customer order for resale are classified in Sector 42, Wholesale Trade, or Sector 44-45, Retail Trade; and 5. Publishing and the combined activity of publishing and printing, classified in Sector 51, Information, transform information into a product for which the value to the consumer lies in the information content, not in the format in which it is distributed (i.e., the book or software compact disc). |
| 311 | Food Manufacturing 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Food Manufacturing subsector transform livestock and agricultural products into products for intermediate or final consumption. The industry groups are distinguished by the raw materials (generally of animal or vegetable origin) processed into food products. The food products manufactured in these establishments are typically sold to wholesalers or retailers for distribution to consumers, but establishments primarily engaged in retailing bakery and candy products made on the premises not for immediate consumption are included. Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing beverages are classified in Subsector 312, Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing. |
| 3118 | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in one of the following: (1) manufacturing fresh and frozen bread and other bakery products; (2) retailing bread and other bakery products not for immediate consumption made on the premises from flour, not from prepared dough; (3) manufacturing cookies, crackers, and dry pasta; (4) manufacturing prepared flour mixes or dough from flour ground elsewhere; or (5) manufacturing tortillas. |
| 31181 | Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing fresh and frozen bread and other bakery products. |
| 311812 | Commercial Bakeries 6-digit U.S. detail | Commercial bakeries are establishments that specialize in the production of bread, rolls, and other bakery items distinct from cookies and crackers. These facilities focus on creating fresh and frozen goods tailored for immediate sale or distribution to various customers. The core activities involve flour mixing, yeast activation, dough preparation, baking, cooling, packaging, and final quality control. Many operations prioritize daily freshness to meet consumer demand for high-quality loaves of bread. Operators in this sector range from large industrial facilities serving retail chains and food service institutions to smaller neighborhood shops catering to local residents. Large commercial entities often manage sophisticated supply chains, automated equipment, and central distribution networks to support extensive regions. In contrast, smaller bakeries may function as independent vendors or subsidiaries of regional conglomerates. The scale of production varies significantly, with some factories manufacturing tons of product weekly while others operate on a much smaller daily batch basis. Geographically, these businesses can be localized within specific communities or positioned strategically near major urban centers to reduce delivery times. Some bakeries extend their reach by supplying hotels, restaurants, and grocery stores directly, ensuring a steady commercial pipeline. The industry represents a vital component of the food manufacturing landscape, blending traditional culinary techniques with modern manufacturing efficiency. |
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Classification References
- 01Retailing bread and other bakery products not for immediate consumption made on the premises from flour, not from prepared dough--are classified in U.S. Industry 311811, Retail Bakeries;
- 02Manufacturing frozen bakery products (except bread)--are classified in U.S. Industry 311813, Frozen Cakes, Pies, and Other Pastries Manufacturing;
- 03Preparing and selling bakery products (e.g., cookies, pretzels) for immediate consumption--are classified in U.S. Industry 722515, Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars;
- 04Retailing bakery products not for immediate consumption made elsewhere--are classified in U.S. Industry 445291, Baked Goods Retailers;
- 05Manufacturing cookies and crackers--are classified in U.S. Industry 311821, Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing; and
- 06Manufacturing pretzels (except soft)--are classified in U.S. Industry 311919, Other Snack Food Manufacturing.
Index Items
Bagels made in commercial bakeries
Bakery products, fresh (i.e., bread, cakes, doughnuts, pastries), made in commercial bakeries
Biscuits, bread-type, made in commercial bakeries
Bread and bread-type rolls made in commercial bakeries
Cakes, baking (except frozen), made in commercial bakeries
Commercial bakeries
Communion wafer manufacturing
Croissants, baking, made in commercial bakeries
Croutons and bread crumbs made in commercial bakeries
Crullers (except frozen) made in commercial bakeries
Doughnuts (except frozen) made in commercial bakeries
Frozen bread and bread-type rolls, made in commercial bakeries
Knishes (except frozen) made in commercial bakeries
Matzo baking made in commercial bakeries
Pastries (e.g., Danish, French), fresh, made in commercial bakeries
Pies, fresh, made in commercial bakeries
Pretzels, soft, manufacturing
Rolls and buns (including frozen) made in commercial bakeries
Soft pretzels made in a commercial bakery
Sweet yeast goods (except frozen) manufacturing
Unleavened bread made in commercial bakeries
How Item Can Help
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Coordinates complex multi-step production workflows from raw material ordering to final product delivery while managing various retail channels. It syncs sales data instantly with kitchen display systems to adjust production schedules dynamically based on demand.
Predicts peak demand patterns by analyzing historical sales trends and local events to forecast ingredient requirements accurately. It identifies cost-saving opportunities in procurement by benchmarking supplier prices and analyzing ingredient usage efficiency.
Item.com Tools
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 311812.
National Association of Commercial Bakers
The primary trade association representing commercial bakers in the US with lobbying and industry resources.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections
A government page providing occupational details, wage data, and growth projections for this specific NAICS code.
Better Business Bureau Directory
A directory allowing users to filter and find verified commercial bakeries by location.
