Commercial Bakeries Revenue Benchmarks
The average commercial bakeries business in the United States generates $11.7M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,461 commercial bakeries businesses in the U.S., employing 106,559 workers with an average profit margin of 10.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $56K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Commercial Bakeries Business Actually Do?
Commercial Bakeries: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products.
Who buys: Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
Sector-level description — a more specific write-up is available for high-traffic industries.
Average Revenue
$11.7M
per year
Profit Margin
10.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$270K
per year
Total Businesses
2,461
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$1.2M
small business avg
Labor Cost
18.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$56K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.7
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Commercial Bakeries Charge?
Commercial Bakeries: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the commercial bakeries category — the ranges below are typical for the sector.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Contract manufacturing markup | 15–35% over materials + labor |
Own-brand product margin | 25–60% gross margin |
Custom / low-volume run | 40–150% over direct costs |
Sector-typical ranges — individual services within this industry may fall higher or lower.
Complete commercial bakeries business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a commercial bakeries business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the commercial bakeries industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Raw materials & components | $50 | $5.9M | Steel, chemicals, electronics, packaging — the physical inputs that become the product. |
Wages & benefits | $18 | $2.1M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $673K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $421K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $12 | $1.4M | Depreciation on equipment, energy, R&D, quality control, freight. |
Net profit | $10 | $1.2M | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
12.32%
openings/year
Closure Rate
10%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+3.6%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,063
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Commercial Bakeries Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
2 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a commercial bakeries business do?
- Commercial Bakeries: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products. Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
- How much do commercial bakeries charge?
- Commercial Bakeries: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the commercial bakeries category — the ranges below are typical for the sector. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average commercial bakeries make per year?
- The average commercial bakeries business generates $11.7M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $1.2M per year at a 10.0% profit margin.
- How many commercial bakeries businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,461 commercial bakeries businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 106,559 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a commercial bakeries business?
- Startup costs for a commercial bakeries business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the commercial bakeries industry?
- The average employee in the commercial bakeries industry earns $56K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The commercial bakeries industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 3.6% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (12.3% entry vs 10.0% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 59% of commercial bakeries businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 1,063 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the commercial bakeries industry earns $55,529/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 4,254 establishments employing 142,340 people, the typical business has about 33 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The commercial bakeries industry has grown 22% since 2000 (from 9,056 to 11,052 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Commercial Bakeries revenue with other industries: