What The Bernard Group does

The Bernard Group is a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) visual communications and visual merchandising company headquartered in Chanhassen, Minnesota, that delivers end-to-end branded experience execution for major retailers and consumer brands. The company is organized around six integrated service divisions — Design Agency, Prototype Lab, Fixture Production, Print Production, Branded Solutions, and Logistics & Warehousing — that together cover the full lifecycle from creative concept through prototype, manufacturing, kitting, warehousing, and rollout fulfillment. Customers include Target, Sephora, Dior, adidas, Advance Auto Parts, T-Mobile, Prada, Goop, Kohler, Home Depot brands, Northern Tool, and Starkey, with both single-brand campaigns (Blake Brown at Target, Goop at Target) and co-branded programs (adidas x Dick's Sporting Goods, Prada x L'Oreal) executed across retail, beauty, luxury, wellness, automotive, telecom, and home improvement verticals.

The technology stack centers on sustainable industrial printing: waterless printing that eliminates freshwater consumption and wastewater, LED curing systems, and dye-sublimation printing for silicone edge graphics (SEG). These capabilities are paired with the Marketing on Demand Platform (MOD), a proprietary web-to-print software that enables distributed enterprises to manage print, digital, and promotional assets through variable data printing, customizable templates, and approval workflows — with a stated client range of $50K to $50M+ annual spend. Smartpress.com operates as the company's online commercial printing storefront, serving SMB customers with pay-as-you-go pricing on standard print products. Notable certifications include EcoVadis Platinum (top 1% globally, achieved four times since 2020), FSC Chain of Custody, and carbon neutral status for Scopes 1 and 2 since January 2020.

Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time project fees (custom fixture production, print production, design services), recurring MOD platform subscriptions with dedicated account management, and unit-priced commercial print sales via Smartpress.com. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales for complex branded experience projects with self-service e-commerce for commercial print and inside sales with account management for MOD. The company employs 101-250 people, is privately held under ESOP ownership with no external funding rounds disclosed, and in March 2026 consolidated operations into a new two-building Chanhassen campus.

Name

The Bernard Group

Legal name

The Bernard Group

Website

https://thebernardgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Bernard Group is a 100% employee-owned visual merchandising and digital print company that delivers end-to-end branded experiences — design, prototype, fixture production, print, and logistics — for major retailers and brands including Target, Sephora, Dior, and adidas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chanhassen

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Print Production Services: Custom commercial printing services including signage, banners, displays, brochures, catalogs, and promotional materials through Smartpress.com online platform.
2. Fixture Production & Manufacturing: Custom fixture production for retail environments including cashwrap counters, perimeter displays, and branded solutions.
3. Marketing on Demand Platform (MOD) Subscription: Enterprise print management platform with minimum annual spend of $50K up to $50 million or more, including account management and fulfillment services.
4. Design Agency Services: Design agency services for visual merchandising, brand experiences, and branded environments.
5. Logistics & Warehousing: Integrated manufacturing and distribution operations including kitting, warehousing, and logistics services for retail execution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Bernard Group is a 100% employee-owned visual communications company that designs, prototypes, manufactures, and distributes branded retail environments, custom fixtures, signage, and commercial print materials for major retailers and brands. Its offering spans design agency services, prototype lab, fixture production, print production, branded merchandise, and integrated warehousing and logistics, complemented by the Smartpress.com online commercial printing platform and the MOD web-to-print subscription platform for distributed enterprises.

Product overview

The Bernard Group is a visual merchandising company operating as a multi-service platform organized around six core service divisions—Design Agency, Prototype Lab, Fixture Production, Print Production, Branded Solutions, and Logistics & Warehousing—plus Smartpress.com as its online commercial printing sub-brand, and the Marketing on Demand Platform (MOD) as its proprietary web-to-print software. Together, these offerings provide end-to-end capabilities from design concept through manufacturing and fulfillment, serving major retailers including Target, Sephora, Dior, adidas, and others. Smartpress.com serves as the consumer-facing online ordering platform for commercial print products, while MOD provides enterprise clients with centralized print management and brand control across distributed locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marketing on Demand Platform (MOD): A comprehensive print management and web-to-print software platform for distributed organizations to manage print, digital, and promotional assets.

Products and services

• Smartpress.com Online Commercial Printing Online commercial printing storefront offering premium custom print products including brochures, signage, banners, magnets, aluminum signs, acrylic signs, postcards, catalogs, booklets, and promotional products for businesses of all sizes. Operates on a self-service, pay-as-you-go basis.
• Marketing on Demand Platform (MOD) Web-to-print subscription platform enabling distributed organizations to manage print, digital, and promotional assets from a centralized storefront. Includes variable data printing, customizable templates, approval workflows, brand consistency controls, fixture ordering, and end-to-end fulfillment for franchise and multi-location enterprises. Minimum $50K annual spend, scaling to $50M+ with dedicated account management.
• Design Agency Services Creative design services for visual merchandising, theatrical brand launches, retail displays, branded environments, and experiential marketing installations for major retailers and brands.
• Prototype Lab Services Rapid prototyping services for retail fixtures, displays, and branded environments, enabling concept validation and design iteration before full-scale production.
• Fixture Production Manufacturing of custom retail fixtures including cashwrap checkout counters, perimeter mesh displays, battery/oil racking, and point-of-purchase displays for retail environments.
• Print Production Commercial printing services for large-scale visual merchandising projects, including printed point-of-purchase displays, retail signage, branded environment graphics, banners, and silicone edge graphics (SEG) for wall-mounted, free-standing, or LED-backlit configurations.
• Branded Solutions Branded merchandise and promotional products including custom apparel, drinkware, stationery, and branded items for marketing campaigns and corporate giveaways.
• Logistics & Warehousing Integrated warehousing and logistics fulfillment services supporting distribution center operations, kitting, and retail rollout programs for multi-location enterprises.
• Exhibition Booth Design & Build Custom exhibition booth and trade show booth design and construction services featuring backlit silicone edge graphics (SEGs), custom builds, illuminated signage, and branded environments for conference and trade show displays.

Quantifiable outcome

• Carbon neutral for Scopes 1 and 2 since January 2020, with efforts to map Scope 3 emissions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Trees, Water & PeopleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit creating economic opportunities for local Indigenous people through reforestation and renewable energy projects across U.S. tribal lands and Central America. TBG partners to plant trees in South Dakota to combat climate change, assist in restoration of critical riparian zones in Colorado, and reforest fire-damaged landscapes in New Mexico.
• Open Hands Foundation / Hope HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHope House is an emergency shelter for youth ages 14-19 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the southwest Twin Cities metro. TBG donations help Hope House nurture self-sufficiency and independence with goal of reconciliation and family unification.
• Feed My Starving ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization that accepts donations to fund meal ingredients which are hand-packed by volunteers. TBG employees participate in meal packing events, with meals donated to food partners around the world.
• Operation Christmas Child / Samaritan's PurseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual program where TBG employees pack shoe boxes with items for children in impoverished countries. Since 1970, this organization has helped meet needs of victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine.
• Dress for SuccessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBG donates professional attire to this charity that provides clothing and skills development to empower women and help them achieve career advancement and economic stability.
• People Reaching Out to People (PROP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal food shelf whose mission is to compassionately provide food and comprehensive support to neighbors in need, creating a path toward self-sufficiency. TBG employees donate food items and fresh produce from company garden.
• Kids In Need FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationwide non-profit providing school supplies to students and teachers in under-resourced communities. TBG hosted backpack build event packing 350 backpacks full of school supplies for a local elementary school.
• Neighbors Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting low-income households by providing food, clothes and toiletry items. TBG employees adopt families in need during holiday season, purchasing and wrapping gifts for their children.
• Students Achieving Independent Life (SAIL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local school providing work opportunities for people with disabilities. SAIL is a transitional work program offering young people with special needs skill-building, career training and guidance.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cimpress (parent of Vistaprint): Cimpress operates mass-customization printing platforms including Vistaprint, serving SMBs and small enterprises with commercial print. Adjacent in commercial printing, but at much higher scale and lower price points than TBG's enterprise work.
• HH Global (parent of InnerWorkings): HH Global is a global marketing services provider managing print production, packaging, and creative execution for enterprise brands. Competes with TBG on enterprise print management and brand activation.
• Taylor Corporation: Taylor Corporation is one of the largest privately held communications and printing companies in the US, offering commercial print, marketing services, and branded merchandise. Larger, broader incumbent with overlapping commercial print and brand activation capabilities.

Direct peers

• Derse: Derse designs and builds retail experiences, exhibits, and branded environments for large enterprises. Comparable scope across design, fabrication, and installation of retail and event activations.
• AlphaGraphics: AlphaGraphics is a franchised commercial printing and marketing services network serving SMB and mid-market customers. Comparable commercial print and marketing collateral offerings, with broader geographic reach via franchise model.
• Group Delphi: Group Delphi designs and fabricates exhibits, events, and branded environments for enterprises and institutions. Comparable in custom fabrication, design services, and large-format graphics.
• Sparks (Sparks Retail): Sparks is a retail and shopper experience agency providing design, fabrication, and installation services for major brands. Directly comparable in-store activation and branded experience capabilities.
• 3D Exhibits: 3D Exhibits designs and builds trade show exhibits, events, and corporate environments with integrated graphics and fabrication. Overlaps with TBG's exhibition booth and large-format SEG offerings.
• M Retail (formerly M. Block & Sons / M Corp): M Retail is a direct competitor offering end-to-end visual merchandising, custom fixtures, printing, and branded retail experiences for major retailers and brands. Closest comparable in business model and customer base.

Emerging players

• HALO (Halo Branded Solutions): HALO is a leading distributor of branded merchandise and promotional products with integrated technology and fulfillment. Comparable in the Branded Solutions / promotional products revenue stream and distributed enterprise fulfillment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-bernard-group-inc.

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 The Bernard Group