The Model Bakery
The Model Bakery is a family-owned artisan bakery founded in 1908 in St. Helena, California, operating four Northern California retail locations. It produces artisan breads, pastries, and its flagship English muffins, distributing via retail, wholesale to restaurants, WholeFoods, and nationwide shipping through Goldbelly.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1908
- HeadquartersNapa, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Model Bakery does
The Model Bakery is a family-owned artisan bakery founded in 1908 and headquartered in St. Helena, California. The company produces and sells artisan breads, pastries, cookies, desserts, breakfast and lunch items using traditional baking methods, including original 1920s brick ovens at its flagship St. Helena location, organic stone-ground flours, and a proprietary wine-grape based sourdough starter unique to the Napa Valley region. Its flagship product, Famous English Muffins, has been featured on Oprah Winfrey's Favorite Things List four times (2016, 2017, 2021, 2025), generating recurring national brand recognition and shipping demand.
The business operates four physical retail locations across Northern California — St. Helena (flagship), Napa at Oxbow Public Market (opened 2008), Yountville (Mini Model), and Walnut Creek (opened 2025) — and runs an omnichannel distribution model: direct online ordering for pickup via Toast Tab, local Bay Area delivery through GoodEggs, nationwide shipping of English muffins and gift sets through Goldbelly, wholesale supply to Napa Valley restaurants and hotels, retail placement at WholeFoods markets in Napa and Sonoma, and catering services. A proprietary coffee blend custom-roasted by Seattle-based Caffe Vita extends the product line.
The Model Bakery is privately held by the Mitchell family, with Karen Mitchell as owner (nearly 40 years) and her daughter Sarah Mitchell Hansen as managing partner. Revenue is generated across six streams: in-store retail, online ordering and pickup/delivery, Goldbelly marketplace commissions, wholesale B2B supply, retail distribution at WholeFoods, and catering. The company is bootstrapped with no outside investors, funding rounds, or parent company identified in the available data.
The Model Bakery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Model Bakery
- Legal name
- The Model Bakery
- Website
- https://themodelbakery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1908
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Model Bakery is a family-owned artisan bakery founded in 1908 in St. Helena, California, operating four Northern California retail locations. It produces artisan breads, pastries, and its flagship English muffins, distributing via retail, wholesale to restaurants, WholeFoods, and nationwide shipping through Goldbelly.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Model Bakery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisan Bakery
- NAICS
- Retail Bakeries (311811), Baked Goods Retailers (445291)
- SIC
- Bakery Products (2050), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Retail Bakeries (Bread & Daily Bakery) (THAFAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cafe-Bakeries (Bakery + Coffee/Foodservice) (THAFAFAG), Bread & Pastry Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAC)
Keywords
Where The Model Bakery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Napa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Model Bakery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Bakery Sales: In-store sales of breads, pastries, cookies, desserts, breakfast and lunch items at 4 physical locations in Northern California.
- Online Ordering and Pickup/Delivery: Direct online orders for pickup and delivery through the company's website and third-party platforms like GoodEggs.
- Nationwide Shipping via Goldbelly: Nationwide shipping of English muffins, baked goods, and gift sets through Goldbelly marketplace partnership.
- Wholesale B2B: Wholesale supply of artisan breads and pastries to local chefs, world-class restaurants, and hotels in Napa Valley.
- Retail Distribution at WholeFoods: Sale of breads and English muffins through WholeFoods market locations in Napa and Sonoma.
- Catering Services: Catering menus for events and gatherings offered at St. Helena and Walnut Creek locations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Goldbelly Marketplace pricing for nationwide shipping |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Model Bakery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Model Bakery is a family-owned artisan bakery that produces and sells handcrafted breads, pastries, English muffins, cookies, desserts, breakfast and lunch items, and a proprietary coffee blend. It operates four retail locations in Northern California, ships nationwide via Goldbelly, supplies wholesale to Napa Valley restaurants and hotels, and distributes through WholeFoods markets.
Product overview
The Model Bakery is a family-owned artisan bakery operating as a single-brand, multi-location bakery with nationwide shipping capabilities. Founded in 1908 and owned by Karen Mitchell and Sarah Mitchell Hansen, the bakery offers a unified product portfolio centered on artisan breads (made with organic stone-ground flours and wine-grape based sourdough starter), pastries (French pastries, scones, croissants, Morning Glory muffins), and the flagship Famous English Muffins. The business operates five physical locations (St. Helena, Napa/Oxbow Public Market, Yountville/Mini Model, and Walnut Creek) with online ordering via Toast Tab and nationwide shipping through Goldbelly. A wholesale division supplies artisan breads and pastries to local Napa Valley restaurants, hotels, and chefs, while retail distribution includes Whole Foods markets in Napa and Sonoma. The Model Bakery also offers catering services and a proprietary coffee blend roasted by Caffe Vita.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Famous English Muffins (12-pack)
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 7,000 English muffins sold on busy days
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Model Bakery
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Model Bakery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
The Model Bakery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Caffe VitacoreSeattle-based coffee company that custom roasts The Model Bakery's proprietary coffee blend. The blend offers multi-layered combination of medium and dark-roasted coffees with aromas of toasted hazelnut, vanilla and cocoa, medium-bodied with moderate acidity and smooth, buttery finish. This partnership enables the bakery to offer their own branded coffee products.
- GoldbellycoreNational online marketplace enabling nationwide shipping of Model Bakery products including famous English muffins, bakery samplers, and best sellers. This partnership extends the bakery's reach far beyond their 4 physical locations, enabling customers nationwide to order products for gift-giving or personal consumption.
- GoodEggsminorLocal delivery platform partner for online ordering and delivery of Model Bakery products in the Bay Area.
- WholeFoodscoreRetail distribution partnership at WholeFoods markets. Breads and English muffins are available at WholeFoods locations in Napa (3682 Bel Aire Plaza) and Sonoma (201 W Napa St). This extends product availability beyond bakery locations to mainstream grocery retail.
- ABC 7 News / LocalishminorMedia coverage partnership featuring Model Bakery's new Walnut Creek location and English muffin popularity, helping drive awareness and customer acquisition.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Model Bakery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tartine Bakery: San Francisco-based artisan bakery renowned for its country loaves, pastries, and morning buns. Operates multiple retail locations and ships nationwide, mirroring The Model Bakery's craft-led, multi-channel direct-to-consumer model.
- Acme Bread Company: Berkeley-based artisan bread bakery and wholesaler to Bay Area restaurants and retailers. Highly comparable as a heritage-driven craft baker with strong wholesale B2B and retail cafés in Northern California.
- Magnolia Bakery: Iconic NYC bakery famous for its cupcakes and banana pudding, operating multiple U.S. retail locations and shipping nationwide. Comparable as a heritage-driven, celebrity/endorsement-fueled multi-location retail bakery.
- Dominique Ansel Bakery: NYC-based premium artisan bakery famous for the Cronut and other signature pastries. Comparable as a destination artisan bakery with celebrity-chef status, café retail, and nationwide gifting/shipping demand.
- SusieCakes: Multi-location American bakery chain specializing in classic cakes, cookies, and desserts. Comparable as a premium multi-store bakery retail concept with national shipping and a recognizable lifestyle brand.
- Levain Bakery: New York-based artisan cookie and bakery concept famous for its signature cookies. Directly comparable as a multi-location artisan bakery built around a flagship product with nationwide shipping and strong social media brand.
Regional players
- Bouchon Bakery: Thomas Keller's bakery concept with locations in Napa Valley, Yountville, and NYC. Comparable as a premium artisan bakery co-located with Napa fine dining, sharing the same regional terroir-driven brand positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Boudin Bakery: Historic San Francisco sourdough bakery founded in 1849 with retail locations across California. Comparable as a heritage California bakery brand operating retail cafés and wholesale distribution at much larger scale.
- La Brea Bakery: Large-scale artisan bread manufacturer supplying grocery and foodservice nationwide. Comparable as a California-origin artisan bread brand but operating at much larger industrial scale with broad grocery distribution.
- Pain Quotidien: International bakery-café chain serving organic, European-style breads, pastries, and coffee. Comparable as a café-bakery concept pairing artisan breads/pastries with proprietary coffee, but operating on a global multi-unit footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Model Bakery social profiles
Digital presenceThe Model Bakery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Model Bakery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The Model Bakery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Model Bakery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Model Bakery
What does The Model Bakery do?
The Model Bakery is a family-owned artisan bakery that produces and sells handcrafted breads, pastries, English muffins, cookies, desserts, breakfast and lunch items, and a proprietary coffee blend. It operates four retail locations in Northern California, ships nationwide via Goldbelly, supplies wholesale to Napa Valley restaurants and hotels, and distributes through WholeFoods markets.
Is The Model Bakery a public or private company?
The Model Bakery is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Model Bakery founded?
The Model Bakery was founded in 1908. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Model Bakery based?
The Model Bakery is headquartered in Napa, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Model Bakery make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Retail Bakery Sales are the primary driver. The others are online Ordering and Pickup/Delivery, nationwide Shipping via Goldbelly, wholesale B2B, retail Distribution at WholeFoods and catering Services.
Who are The Model Bakery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tartine Bakery, Acme Bread Company, Magnolia Bakery, Dominique Ansel Bakery, SusieCakes and Levain Bakery. Bouchon Bakery is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Boudin Bakery, La Brea Bakery and Pain Quotidien.
Does The Model Bakery have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Model Bakery.
What industry is The Model Bakery in?
The Model Bakery's product category is Artisan Bakery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAFAA, Retail Bakeries (Bread & Daily Bakery), with a secondary code of THAFAFAG, Cafe-Bakeries (Bakery + Coffee/Foodservice). Its NAICS code is 311811 and its SIC code is 2050.