Sara Lee Frozen Bakery

What Sara Lee Frozen Bakery does

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, LLC is a US-based frozen bakery and dessert manufacturer that produces and distributes pies, cheesecakes, layer cakes, sheet cakes, pound cakes, angel food cakes, muffins, pastries, cobblers, quiche, cookies, brownies, éclairs, and cinnamon rolls under five primary brands: Sara Lee (since 1949), Chef Pierre (100+ year heritage), Bistro Collection (premium foodservice desserts), Superior on Main (in-store bakery cookies and brownies since 1908), and Cyrus O'Leary's (gourmet pies since 1981). The company operates SQF-certified production facilities in Traverse City MI, Tarboro NC, Southbridge MA, and Airway Heights WA, with corporate headquarters and a 10,000 sq ft R&D center in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, and a Canadian sales office in Mississauga, ON. Every Sara Lee and Chef Pierre pie sold in the United States is produced at the Traverse City bakery, which has operated in that location for 56 years and runs 24 hours per day.

The company generates revenue through three primary B2B channels: foodservice wholesale (selling pies, cheesecakes, muffins, cakes, and pastries to restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools, convenience stores, and caterers via distributor relationships), grocery retail (supplying branded frozen desserts to grocery chains for in-home consumer purchase), and in-store bakery supply (providing branded and private label products to in-store bakery departments at major retailers). Allergen-free offerings, including peanut and tree nut free Superior on Main desserts, address dietary needs in healthcare and senior living segments. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, reflecting a B2B supplier model with sales portals and customer service teams dedicated to each customer type.

The company was formed in July 2018 when Kohlberg & Company acquired Tyson Foods' frozen bakery business, and has since expanded through the 2019 acquisition of Superior Cake Products from Hostess Brands and the 2020 acquisition of Cyrus O'Leary's Pies. The company divested its Van's Foods (gluten-free waffles and pancakes) business to Cal-Maine Foods in 2026 as part of ongoing portfolio focus. In February 2026, Peter Laport was appointed CEO, succeeding Craig Bahner. The company operates as a private equity-backed portfolio company with no public listing.

Name

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery

Legal name

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, LLC

Website

https://saraleefrozenbakery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, LLC is a US frozen bakery manufacturer producing pies, cheesecakes, cakes, and pastries under five heritage brands (Sara Lee, Chef Pierre, Bistro Collection, Superior on Main, Cyrus O'Leary's), serving foodservice operators, grocery retailers, and in-store bakery departments across the United States and Canada. The company is owned by private equity firm Kohlberg & Company.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Frozen Bakery Products

NAICS

Frozen Cakes, Pies, and Other Pastries Manufacturing (311813), Commercial Bakeries (311812)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen Bakery Products Manufacturing (AFAKAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Frozen & Par-Baked Bakery Production (THAFAFAK), Bakery & Desserts Distribution (CRAOABAE)

Keywords

• Frozen bakery products
• Frozen dessert manufacturing
• Foodservice bakery supply
• In-store bakery supply
• Wholesale frozen pies

Headquarters

HQ city

Kings Mountain

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foodservice B2B Sales: Wholesale frozen bakery products sold to foodservice operators including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools, and convenience stores. Products include pies, cheesecakes, muffins, cakes, and pastries offered in various formats from full-size to individually wrapped.
2. Retail Distribution: Frozen bakery products sold through grocery retail channels for consumer at-home consumption. Products available in grocer's freezers under Sara Lee brand.
3. In-Store Bakery Supply: Products supplied to in-store bakeries at major retailers, including multi-serve pies, single-serve desserts, cookies, éclairs, and brownies. Both branded and private label options available.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery manufactures and distributes a portfolio of more than 100 varieties of frozen bakery and dessert products — including pies, cheesecakes, layer cakes, sheet cakes, pound cakes, angel food cakes, muffins, pastries, cobblers, quiche, cookies, eclairs, brownies, and cinnamon rolls — under five heritage brands (Sara Lee, Chef Pierre, Bistro Collection, Superior on Main, Cyrus O'Leary's). The company sells primarily B2B to foodservice operators, grocery retailers, and in-store bakery departments across the United States and Canada, with production at six US bakeries (Traverse City MI, Tarboro NC, Southbridge MA, Airway Heights WA) and a Canadian sales office in Mississauga, Ontario. Operations are supported by an SQF-certified quality program and a 10,000 sq ft R&D center and test kitchen in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.

Product overview

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery is a frozen bakery and dessert company operating as a multi-brand portfolio under PE-backed Kohlberg & Co. The company offers five core brands—Sara Lee® (flagship pies, cakes, cheesecakes), Chef Pierre® (foodservice pies, muffins, pastries), Bistro Collection® (gourmet desserts), Superior on Main® (in-store bakery cookies, éclairs, brownies), and Cyrus O'Leary's® (gourmet pies including Pybrids)—spanning pies, cakes, cheesecakes, muffins, pastries, cobblers, quiche, cookies, and éclairs. Products serve retail, foodservice, and in-store bakery channels across the US and Canada, with a focus on thaw-and-serve convenience, allergen-free options, and clean-label offerings. The company operates SQF-certified bakeries in Michigan, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Washington, with R&D headquarters in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sara Lee: Core frozen bakery and dessert brand offering pies, cakes, cheesecakes, and pastries for retail and foodservice since 1949.
• Chef Pierre
• Bistro Collection
• Superior on Main
• Cyrus O'Leary's

Products and services

• Sara Lee Flagship retail and foodservice brand offering a wide variety of frozen pies, cakes, cheesecakes, brownies, and desserts known for consistent quality and homemade appeal since 1949; sold through grocery retailers and to foodservice operators.
• Chef Pierre Leading foodservice pie brand with over 100 years of history, offering fruit pies, cream pies, meringue pies, open-faced pies, muffins, pastries, cobblers, and quiche for B&I, healthcare, lodging, and restaurant segments.
• Bistro Collection Gourmet hand-made foodservice desserts featuring premium 3-layer cakes, individual desserts, and brownie bars designed for upscale dining establishments.
• Superior on Main Specialty sweet baked goods brand for in-store bakeries at retailers nationwide, offering cookies, brownies, eclairs, and cake cookies with over 100 years of baking history; includes peanut and tree nut free dessert options.
• Cyrus O'Leary's Pies Award-winning gourmet pies brand since 1981, producing a variety of cream pies, fruit pies, and signature Pybrid (pie-brownie hybrid) desserts for in-store bakeries and foodservice with coast-to-coast distribution.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every Sara Lee and Chef Pierre pie sold in the United States is made in Traverse City, MI facility
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cal-Maine FoodsminorOthers · 1 February 2026Cal-Maine Foods acquired Van's Foods business assets from Sara Lee Frozen Bakery in May 2026. Van's was the leading brand in gluten-free waffles and a category leader in the better-for-you frozen breakfast market. This represents a divestiture of a business unit from Sara Lee Frozen Bakery.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Sweet Street Desserts: Specialty dessert manufacturer producing gourmet cheesecakes, brownies, and cakes for foodservice and retail under branded and private-label programs. Comparable as a smaller, premium-focused frozen and thaw-and-serve dessert peer competing in similar foodservice and grocery channels.

Broad incumbents

• Flowers Foods: Large publicly traded US bakery company producing fresh and frozen breads, buns, and snack cakes. Overlaps with Sara Lee Frozen Bakery in frozen sweet baked goods (e.g., Mrs. Freshley's, Tastykake) and shared grocery and convenience channels, but operates a much broader portfolio of baked goods.
• Grupo Bimbo (Bimbo Bakeries USA): Global bakery leader with the largest US fresh-bakery footprint, producing frozen and shelf-stable baked goods including Sara Lee branded breads (a separate brand license from the frozen dessert portfolio). Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping frozen and sweet baked goods categories and shared grocery customers.
• TreeHouse Foods: Private-label food and beverage manufacturer including frozen desserts (formerly including the Mrs. Smith's pie brand). Overlaps with Sara Lee Frozen Bakery's private-label/in-store bakery business model and shares the same retail and foodservice customers, though TreeHouse is a multi-category operator rather than a frozen bakery specialist.

Direct peers

• Schwan's Company: Large-scale frozen food manufacturer (subsidiary of CJ CheilJedang) with significant frozen bakery and dessert exposure including Tony's and Edwards brands. Comparable in channel mix (retail, foodservice), product categories (pies, desserts), and use of thaw-and-serve technology across the US market.
• Aryzta: Swiss-headquartered frozen bakery group producing breads, sweet baked goods, and pastries for retail and foodservice across North America and Europe. Direct peer in the frozen bakery manufacturing space with significant private-label and branded exposure serving the same grocery and foodservice operators.
• Hostess Brands (The Hostess Company): Iconic US baked goods company producing frozen and shelf-stable sweet baked goods including pies, brownies, and snack cakes. Comparable through overlapping product categories (Hostess snack pies, Dolly Madison frozen pies), shared customer segments in retail and convenience, and prior counterparty relationship via sale of Superior Cake Products to Sara Lee Frozen Bakery.
• Rich Products Corporation: Privately held frozen bakery and dessert manufacturer supplying foodservice, in-store bakery, and retail customers with products including pies, cakes, and thaw-and-serve items. Directly comparable as a multi-channel frozen bakery peer of similar scale with overlapping customer bases in foodservice and grocery.
• Maplehurst Bakeries: Private-label frozen and fresh bakery manufacturer serving retail grocery, in-store bakery, and foodservice customers with cakes, donuts, and desserts. Comparable as a US-focused frozen bakery supplier competing for the same in-store bakery and private-label business Sara Lee Frozen Bakery targets.

Others

• Kohlberg & Company (portfolio): Private equity owner of Sara Lee Frozen Bakery and other food/consumer portfolio companies. Not a direct competitor but a directly relevant party for capital structure, exit timing, and add-on acquisition dynamics — and a useful reference for how PE-owned frozen food assets have been valued and exited in prior cycles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sara-lee-frozen-bakery

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sara Lee Frozen Bakery