Outside the Breadbox

Gluten-Free Bakery Productsoutsidethebreadbox.com

Outside the Breadbox is a Colorado Springs, family-owned commercial bakery founded in 1984 that produces certified gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free breads, bagels, buns, crackers, and sweets via DTC e-commerce, a local storefront, and wholesale to Natural Grocers and Whole Foods.

Company typePrivate
Founded1984
HeadquartersColorado Springs, United States
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2C
OfferingHardware or Manufacturing

What Outside the Breadbox does

Outside the Breadbox is a Colorado Springs-based, family-owned commercial bakery that has produced gluten-free baked goods since 1984 and opened to the public in 2003 as Colorado's first gluten-free commercial bakery. The company operates from a single dedicated allergen-free production facility and a colocated retail storefront at 3305 North Cascade Avenue, supported by 1-10 employees under founder/owner Erik Van Horn. The entire facility is certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), nut-free, and soy-free, with separate baking trays and equipment cleaning between production runs; many products additionally carry Non-GMO Project Verified certification. Inputs emphasize certified gluten-free oats, high oleic sunflower seed oil, and olive oil, and finished products carry a 7-day ambient shelf life or up to 1 year frozen.

The product catalog spans gluten-free breads (oat-based and brown rice variants, including a 100% olive oil formulation), bagels (vegan and dairy-inclusive varieties), rolls and buns, English muffins, crackers, cookies, pizza crusts, bread crumbs, and croutons. Pricing is uniform within category bands at $8.39 per loaf or cracker package and $9.44 per bagel package. The business operates through three distinct go-to-market motions: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via a Shopify storefront shipping nationwide by UPS (free shipping over $60, with Monday-Wednesday ship days), a single physical retail storefront in Colorado Springs, and wholesale distribution to natural food retailers including Natural Grocers and Whole Foods. A digital gift card product ($25-$100 denominations) provides an auxiliary revenue stream. Marketing relies on email capture (15% first-order offer), organic social on Facebook, Instagram, and Vimeo, customer testimonials, and the Gluten-Free Goodness Blog.

Target customers are organized into three primary personas — individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, individuals managing multiple food allergies (dairy, egg, nut, soy), and vegan/plant-based consumers — plus a wholesale buyer segment consisting of natural food retailers. Customer testimonials consistently emphasize taste quality as the differentiator from competing gluten-free products. The company ships only within the United States and does not disclose revenue, headcount detail, funding, or unit volume.

Outside the Breadbox firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Outside the Breadbox
Legal name: Outside The Breadbox
Website: https://outsidethebreadbox.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1984
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: Outside the Breadbox is a Colorado Springs, family-owned commercial bakery founded in 1984 that produces certified gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free breads, bagels, buns, crackers, and sweets via DTC e-commerce, a local storefront, and wholesale to Natural Grocers and Whole Foods.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Outside the Breadbox industry classification

Industry

Product category: Gluten-Free Bakery Products
NAICS: Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Commercial Bakeries (311812), Baked Goods Retailers (445291)
SIC: Bakery Products (2050)
akta.pro primary industry: Specialty Bakery Manufacturing (Gluten-Free, Artisan, Health-Focused) (AFAKAAAG)
akta.pro secondary industries: Gluten-Free & Allergen-Friendly Bakery Wholesale (AFAIAFAF), Bread & Pastry Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAC), Specialty Dietary Bakeries (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Allergen-Friendly) (THAFAFAI)

Keywords

Gluten-free bakery
Allergen-free baked goods
Vegan bread products
Specialty food manufacturing
Natural food wholesale

Where Outside the Breadbox is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Colorado Springs
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

Outside the Breadbox business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Hardware or Manufacturing
Cost components: Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Online sales of gluten-free baked goods shipped directly to customers nationwide via UPS. Customers order through the Shopify-powered website with free shipping for orders over $60.
Retail/Wholesale: Wholesale distribution to natural food retailers including Natural Grocers and Whole Foods. Products sold through the company's own retail store in Colorado Springs.
Gift Cards: Digital gift certificates available in denominations of $25, $50, $75, and $100, purchased online and redeemable for any products on the website.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Vegan Oat Bread - Sliced 16 oz
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Blueberry Bagels - 12 oz (4 count)
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Cheddar Crackers - 5.5 oz
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Free Shipping Threshold
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Gift Cards

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Outside the Breadbox product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Outside the Breadbox is a dedicated allergen-free commercial bakery that manufactures and sells gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free baked goods — including breads, bagels, rolls, buns, English muffins, crackers, cookies, pizza crusts, bread crumbs, and croutons. Products are produced in a GFCO-certified facility in Colorado Springs and sold direct-to-consumer via a Shopify e-commerce store, through the company's retail storefront, and wholesale to natural food retailers nationwide.

Product overview

Outside the Breadbox is a dedicated gluten-free bakery offering a comprehensive portfolio of allergen-friendly baked goods. The product line centers on gluten-free breads (including oat-based breads and brown rice breads in various formats), bagels (with vegan and non-vegan varieties), and rolls & buns (hamburger buns, hot dog buns, dinner rolls, and sandwich rolls). Complementary categories include crackers (cheddar, jalapeño, habanero, and graham varieties), sweets (cookies including chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, ginger, and Sun Drop, plus cinnamon crisps), pizza crusts (brown rice and oat-based), bread crumbs, croutons, and English muffins. All products are produced in a dedicated gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free facility certified through the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). The company also offers gift cards as a non-bakery product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Gluten-Free Vegan Oat Bread (Sliced 16 oz) Gluten-free vegan oat bread with a soft texture and everyday flavor, made without dairy, soy, nuts, or eggs; Non-GMO; available sliced, unsliced, or sliced lengthwise.
Gluten-Free Vegan Oat Bread (100% Olive Oil) Gluten-free vegan oat bread made with 100% olive oil for a soft, satisfying texture; plant-based and Non-GMO.
Gluten-Free Vegan Oat Cinnamon Raisin Bread Gluten-free vegan oat bread swirled with cinnamon and sweet raisins; plant-based, Non-GMO.
Gluten-Free Brown Rice Bread Soft gluten-free brown rice bread pre-sliced for everyday use; made without dairy, soy, milk, or nuts.
Gluten-Free Ancient Grain Teff Bread Gluten-free teff bread made with nutrient-rich teff flour and blended vegetable oil for a soft, satisfying texture.
Gluten-Free Vegan Oat Bagels Gluten-free vegan oat bagels for breakfast or savory sandwiches; made without dairy, soy, nuts, or eggs; plant-based and Non-GMO.
Gluten-Free Vegan Oat Cinnamon Raisin Bagels Soft gluten-free vegan oat bagels swirled with warm cinnamon and sweet raisins; plant-based, Non-GMO.
Gluten-Free Blueberry Bagels Soft gluten-free blueberry bagels packed with sweet, juicy berries; made without dairy, soy, nuts, or eggs; plant-based and Non-GMO.
Gluten-Free Everything Bagels Savory gluten-free everything bagels topped with garlic, onion flakes, poppy seeds, chia seeds, and sea salt; plant-based, Non-GMO.
Gluten-Free Sourdough Bagels Classic gluten-free sourdough bagels with a tangy, handcrafted flavor and a satisfyingly chewy bite; naturally fermented.
Gluten-Free Oat Cheddar Bagels Savory gluten-free oat cheddar bagels made with sharp cheddar and sea salt; made without nuts or soy.
Gluten-Free Jalapeño Cheddar Bagels Savory gluten-free jalapeño cheddar bagels with a bold, zesty kick and a satisfyingly chewy bite.
Gluten-Free Vegan Oat Onion Bagels Savory gluten-free oat onion bagels with onion flavor; made without dairy, soy, nuts, or eggs; plant-based and Non-GMO.
Gluten-Free Brown Rice Dinner Rolls Soft gluten-free brown rice dinner rolls with a light, fluffy inside and gently crusty exterior.
Gluten-Free Vegan Oat Dinner Rolls Soft gluten-free oat dinner rolls made without dairy, soy, nuts, or eggs; plant-based and Non-GMO.
Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns Soft gluten-free hamburger buns for burgers and sliders; available in regular and 100% olive oil varieties.
Gluten-Free Brown Rice Hot Dog Buns Gluten-free brown rice hot dog buns for gourmet cookouts.
Gluten-Free Oat Hot Dog Buns Oat gluten-free hot dog buns for allergen-free grilling.
Gluten-Free Oat Sandwich Rolls Oat gluten-free sandwich rolls, sturdy for hearty fillings.
Gluten-Free Sourdough English Muffins Classic gluten-free sourdough English muffins made without nuts or soy.
Gluten-Free Cheddar Crackers Crispy gluten-free cheddar crackers made with sharp cheddar for a rich, savory crunch; made without nuts or soy.
Gluten-Free Jalapeño Cheddar Crackers Gluten-free jalapeño cheddar crackers with a spicy kick.
Gluten-Free Habanero Cheddar Crackers Gluten-free habanero cheddar crackers, extra spicy snack.
Gluten-Free Honey Graham Crackers Gluten-free honey graham crackers, classic sweet snack.
Gluten-Free Honey Graham Cracker Crumbs Gluten-free graham cracker crumbs for baking and dessert crusts.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies with a soft baked texture and rich chocolate chunks.
Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookies Gluten-free snickerdoodle cookies coated in cinnamon sugar with a soft chewy bite.
Gluten-Free Ginger Cookies Gluten-free ginger cookies with a crisp edge and warm spiced flavor.
Gluten-Free Sun Drop Cookies Gluten-free SunDrop cookies with a soft, golden texture and lightly sweet flavor.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Crisps Gluten-free cinnamon crisps with a thin, crunchy texture and warm cinnamon sugar coating.
Gluten-Free Brown Rice Pizza Crust Artisan gluten-free pizza crust made with brown rice; ready to top and bake.
Gluten-Free Oat Pizza Crust Oat-based gluten-free pizza crust for homemade pizzas.
Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs Plain gluten-free bread crumbs for everyday cooking.
Gluten-Free Italian Herb Bread Crumbs Italian herb gluten-free bread crumbs for coating and baking.
Gluten-Free Croutons (Classic) Classic gluten-free croutons, crunchy salad topping.
Gluten-Free Herb Croutons Herb-seasoned gluten-free croutons for salads and soups.
Outside The Breadbox Gift Cards Digital gift certificates available in $25, $50, $75, and $100 denominations, redeemable online for any products.

Quantifiable outcome

7-day shelf life at room temperature; up to 1 year frozen

Companies that use Outside the Breadbox

Customer profile

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Outside the Breadbox technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Outside the Breadbox partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

Natural GrocerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNatural food retailer chain offering wholesale distribution of Outside The Breadbox products. Products available at Natural Grocers locations nationwide.
Whole FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNatural food retailer offering wholesale distribution of Outside The Breadbox products. Products available at Whole Foods locations.
ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering the Outside The Breadbox online store. Provides the Shopify e-commerce infrastructure for online sales and order management.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Outside the Breadbox competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Schär: Global European-based gluten-free brand with a broad bread, roll, cracker, and snack portfolio distributed across U.S. grocery and natural channels—comparable to OTB on allergen-friendly baked goods but at significantly greater scale and breadth.
Bob's Red Mill: Large specialty flour and baking brand with a dedicated gluten-free product line distributed nationally through grocery and natural retail; comparable to OTB as a wholesale gluten-free packaged-baked-goods supplier and shared natural-food-store presence.

Emerging players

Simple Mills: Better-for-you baked goods and cracker brand with strong allergen-friendly and clean-label positioning; partial overlap with OTB's cracker/sweet/snack portfolio and natural-channel distribution, though broader into non-bake categories.

Direct peers

Little Northern Bakehouse: Gluten-free and allergen-friendly bakery brand (now part of Above Food) producing breads, buns, bagels, and seeds for retail and foodservice, directly competing with OTB on gluten-free/vegan claims and shelf placement.
Three Bakers: Gluten-free and allergen-friendly bakery producing breads, rolls, and snacks for retail and foodservice; comparable to OTB on dedicated allergen-free manufacturing, gluten-free certification, and SKU breadth across bread/snacks.
BFree Foods: Allergen-friendly gluten-free bread, wraps, bagels, and buns brand focused on vegan and free-from claims, distributed in U.S. and international grocery—comparable to OTB on allergen-friendly positioning and product mix.
Katz Gluten Free: Specialty gluten-free bakery offering breads, bagels, cookies, crackers, and snacks across DTC and grocery channels, comparable to OTB in product breadth, allergen-friendly positioning, and e-commerce-led GTM.
Udi's Gluten Free: One of the largest U.S. gluten-free bakery brands with broad bread, bagel, muffin, and snack distribution in grocery and club stores, providing a direct comparison for OTB's wholesale and DTC strategy.
Glutino / Mondelez (wellaby's / liveGfree): Established gluten-free brand offering breads, rolls, crackers, and snacks through mass grocery channels; comparable to OTB on gluten-free product mix and grocery/wholesale distribution, though with considerably broader retail reach.
Canyon Bakehouse: Specialty gluten-free bread and bakery brand offering sliced breads, bagels, and buns nationally through grocery and natural channels—owned by Flowers Foods—making it the most direct large-scale competitor to OTB's core bread/bagel portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Outside the Breadbox financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Outside the Breadbox leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Outside the Breadbox funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

Outside the Breadbox M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Outside the Breadbox

What does Outside the Breadbox do?

Is Outside the Breadbox a public or private company?

Outside the Breadbox is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.

When was Outside the Breadbox founded?

Outside the Breadbox was founded in 1984. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is Outside the Breadbox based?

Outside the Breadbox is headquartered in Colorado Springs, United States, in the North America region.

How does Outside the Breadbox make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce is the primary driver. The others are retail/Wholesale and gift Cards.

Who are Outside the Breadbox's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Schär and Bob's Red Mill. Simple Mills is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Little Northern Bakehouse, Three Bakers, BFree Foods, Katz Gluten Free, Udi's Gluten Free, Glutino / Mondelez (wellaby's / liveGfree) and Canyon Bakehouse.

Does Outside the Breadbox have an API?

No public API is recorded for Outside the Breadbox.

What industry is Outside the Breadbox in?

Outside the Breadbox's product category is Gluten-Free Bakery Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAAAG, Specialty Bakery Manufacturing (Gluten-Free, Artisan, Health-Focused), with a secondary code of AFAIAFAF, Gluten-Free & Allergen-Friendly Bakery Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 31181 and its SIC code is 2050.