Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing
Description
This sector encompasses establishments dedicated to the production of cookies, crackers, and similar baked goods like ice cream cones. These facilities transform raw ingredients such as flours, fats, sugars, and proteins into finished snack items through various processing methods including mixing, shaping, baking, and packaging. Operations typically range from small-scale family bakeries that produce limited quantities for local markets to massive industrial factories supplying national and international chains. Major operators often employ sophisticated machinery capable of high-speed production while adhering to strict food safety standards. Some entities focus exclusively on single product lines to ensure quality consistency, whereas others operate diverse portfolios featuring multiple flavor profiles and dietary options. Business activities involve sourcing agricultural commodities, managing supply chains, executing manufacturing protocols, and distributing products through retail outlets or direct sales channels. The industry's scale varies significantly, with some companies controlling vast agricultural inputs and distribution networks, while others remain localized producers. Economic activity here supports related sectors by generating demand for packaging materials and logistics services. Overall, this sector represents a vital component of the broader food manufacturing landscape, contributing significantly to consumer availability of essential snack foods across the United States.
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. |
| 31182 | Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in one of the following: (1) manufacturing cookies and crackers; (2) preparing flour and dough mixes and dough from flour ground elsewhere; and (3) manufacturing dry pasta. The establishments in this industry may package the dry pasta they manufacture with other ingredients. |
| 311821 | Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing 6-digit U.S. detail | This sector encompasses establishments dedicated to the production of cookies, crackers, and similar baked goods like ice cream cones. These facilities transform raw ingredients such as flours, fats, sugars, and proteins into finished snack items through various processing methods including mixing, shaping, baking, and packaging. Operations typically range from small-scale family bakeries that produce limited quantities for local markets to massive industrial factories supplying national and international chains. Major operators often employ sophisticated machinery capable of high-speed production while adhering to strict food safety standards. Some entities focus exclusively on single product lines to ensure quality consistency, whereas others operate diverse portfolios featuring multiple flavor profiles and dietary options. Business activities involve sourcing agricultural commodities, managing supply chains, executing manufacturing protocols, and distributing products through retail outlets or direct sales channels. The industry's scale varies significantly, with some companies controlling vast agricultural inputs and distribution networks, while others remain localized producers. Economic activity here supports related sectors by generating demand for packaging materials and logistics services. Overall, this sector represents a vital component of the broader food manufacturing landscape, contributing significantly to consumer availability of essential snack foods across the United States. |
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Classification References
- 01Preparing and selling bakery products (e.g., cookies, pretzels) for immediate consumption--are classified in U.S. Industry 722515, Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars;
- 02Retailing bakery products not for immediate consumption made elsewhere--are classified in U.S. Industry 445291, Baked Goods Retailers;
- 03Manufacturing bakery products (e.g., breads, cookies, pies)--are classified in Industry 31181, Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing; and
- 04Manufacturing pretzels (except soft)--are classified in U.S. Industry 311919, Other Snack Food Manufacturing.
Index Items
Bakery products, dry (e.g., biscuits, cookies, crackers), manufacturing
Cones, ice cream, manufacturing
Cookies manufacturing
Cookies, filled, manufacturing
Crackers (e.g., graham, soda) manufacturing
Graham wafers manufacturing
Ice cream cones manufacturing
Saltines manufacturing
Soda crackers manufacturing
How Item Can Help
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The Order Management System handles the fragmented online sales channels common in the baking industry to synchronize inventory levels across multiple distribution points automatically.
Its Transportation Management System plans efficient delivery routes for temperature-controlled transport, ensuring perishable cookie mixes and crackers arrive fresh at retail locations on time.
Item.com Tools
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 311821.
American Association of Bakers and Pastry Chefs
Industry trade association representing bakery professionals including crackers and cookies.
U.S. Census Bureau NAICS Detail Page
Official government page providing detailed manufacturing statistics for NAICS 311821.
Graham Crackers and More Inc
Industry directory listing of a prominent commercial cracker manufacturer.
