Racine Danish Kringles

What Racine Danish Kringles does

Racine Danish Kringles is a third-generation family-owned specialty bakery headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin, operating under parent company RDK Corp. The company produces authentic Danish kringles using a traditional 81-layer hand-folded dough technique, baked in its Wisconsin facility. In 2013, the kringle was designated Wisconsin's Official State Pastry, anchoring the brand's regional identity and providing a defensible cultural positioning within the U.S. specialty pastry category.

The company operates a multi-channel distribution model that includes direct-to-consumer e-commerce (with a Kringle of the Month Club subscription and gift/party-favor product formats), corporate gifting, fundraising, and wholesale partnerships with major U.S. retailers and foodservice distributors including Costco, Aldi, Meijer, Hy-Vee, Sysco, and US Foods. Products are also shipped internationally to Canada. The bakery maintains industry certifications including SQF and Kosher-Dairy, and continues to expand its product line with seasonal flavors such as Lavender Lemon and Pina Colada (2026) and Blueberry Cheesecake (2025). Individual kringles are priced at approximately $24.95.

The bakery is led by President Christopher Heyer, with a workforce of 51-100 employees. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding events, M&A activity, or AI/ML capabilities; its technology footprint is limited to standard digital marketing tools supporting the DTC website and email programs.

Name

Racine Danish Kringles

Legal name

RDK Corp

Website

https://kringle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Racine Danish Kringles is a third-generation family-owned specialty bakery in Racine, Wisconsin, producing authentic 81-layer hand-folded Danish kringles sold through DTC e-commerce, wholesale distribution to major U.S. retailers and foodservice operators, corporate gifting, and Canadian shipping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Bakery / Danish Pastries

NAICS

Commercial Bakeries (311812), Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Baked Goods Retailers (445291), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Bakery Manufacturing (Gluten-Free, Artisan, Health-Focused) (AFAKAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bread & Pastry Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAC)

Keywords

• Danish pastry bakery
• Artisan kringle production
• Wholesale bakery distribution
• Corporate gift bakery
• Specialty coffee cakes

Headquarters

HQ city

Racine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Online Sales: Primary revenue stream through kringle.com website where customers purchase individual kringles, gift sets, and subscription products shipped directly to their door.
2. Corporate Gifting: Corporate gift orders for business gifting, employee appreciation, and client gifts with customization options and bulk pricing.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Supplying retail grocery stores and wholesale partners throughout the US with fresh and frozen kringle products through distributors and Direct Store Delivery programs.
4. Phone/Fax/Mail Orders: Traditional order processing through customer service phone line, fax, and mail-in catalog order forms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Racine Danish Kringles is a third-generation family-owned bakery that produces handcrafted Danish Kringle pastries using a signature 81-layer hand-folded dough technique with a 3-day resting period. The company offers 30+ flavors of Kringle (full oval, mini-oval, stick, and single-serve sizes) along with Seven Sisters Coffee Cakes, gift packages, corporate gifting assortments, and a Kringle of the Month Club subscription.

Product overview

Racine Danish Kringles is a third-generation family bakery specializing in authentic Danish Kringle pastries. The company offers over 25+ Kringle flavors across three main product lines: standard 22oz oval Kringles (including nut varieties like Almond and Pecan, fruit varieties like Raspberry, Cherry, and Blueberry, and gourmet varieties like Cheesecake and Turtle), Seven Sisters Coffee Cakes (handcrafted into seven individual rolls), and single-serve/gift packages including the Kringle of the Month Club subscription. The product portfolio spans fruit-based Kringles (Raspberry, Cherry, Blueberry, Strawberry, Apricot), nut-based Kringles (Almond, Pecan, Praline Pecan), chocolate Kringles (Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Silk, Chocolate Eclair), cheesecake varieties (Cheesecake, Cherry Cheesecake, Blueberry Cheesecake, Strawberry Cheesecake, Raspberry Cheesecake), and specialty seasonal flavors. Products are sold through online ordering with shipping, wholesale distribution, and retail locations throughout the US.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Almond Kringle Handcrafted Danish pastry made with the signature 81-layer flaky dough, generously filled with almond paste, topped with smooth vanilla icing and toasted sliced almonds. Sold as a 22 oz oval kringle for individual consumers, gift purchasers, and wholesale partners.
• Pecan Kringle Top-selling nut Kringle filled with fancy pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon, finished with smooth vanilla icing in the signature 81-layer flaky dough. Sold as a 22 oz oval kringle.
• Raspberry Kringle Top-selling fruit Kringle filled with slightly tart handpicked raspberries in buttery 81-layer pastry, topped with vanilla icing. Sold as a 22 oz oval kringle.
• Apple Cinnamon Kringle Fruit Kringle filled with tart Granny Smith apples and cinnamon spice in flaky pastry, topped with sweet vanilla icing.
• Cherry Kringle Fruit Kringle filled with a mix of sweet and tart Door County cherries in rich buttery pastry, topped with sweet vanilla icing.
• Blueberry Kringle Fruit Kringle generously filled with ripe sweet blueberries with a hint of tartness, topped with sweet vanilla icing.
• Strawberry Kringle Fruit Kringle bursting with ripe strawberry filling nestled in flaky layers, finished with vanilla icing.
• Chocolate Chip Kringle Chocolate-filled Kringle topped with mini-chocolate chips and sweet vanilla icing.
• Chocolate Silk Kringle Chocolate Kringle with silky smooth chocolate filling covered in creamy chocolate icing.
• Chocolate Eclair Kringle Kringle filled with classic vanilla pastry creme and topped with rich chocolate icing.
• Cheesecake Kringle Kringle filled with rich smooth cream cheese and a hint of graham, topped with vanilla icing.
• Cherry Cheesecake Kringle Kringle filled with tart Door County cherries and rich creamy cheesecake, topped with sweet vanilla icing.
• Blueberry Cheesecake Kringle Seasonal Kringle filled with sweet ripe blueberries paired with rich creamy cheesecake filling, topped with vanilla icing. Available May-August.
• Strawberry Cheesecake Kringle Kringle filled with sweet strawberries and smooth cream cheese filling, topped with sweet vanilla icing.
• Raspberry Cheesecake Kringle Kringle featuring famous raspberry filling over a bed of creamy cheesecake, topped with sweet vanilla icing.
• Turtle Kringle Kringle inspired by chocolate turtle candies, filled with buttery caramel and pecans, topped with rich chocolate icing and chopped pecans.
• Praline Pecan Kringle Kringle filled with caramel, brown sugar, and pecans, topped with vanilla icing and drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with chopped pecans.
• Cinnamon Kringle Kringle with buttery sweet cinnamon and sugar filling surrounded by golden brown pastry, topped with sweet vanilla icing.
• Bavarian Creme Kringle Kringle with silky smooth classic vanilla Bavarian creme, hints of cinnamon and brown sugar, sweetened with vanilla icing.
• Apricot Kringle Kringle filled with tangy sweet apricots and topped with sweet vanilla icing.
• Lavender Lemon Kringle Seasonal summer Kringle with bright tangy lemon filling in flaky pastry, topped with fragrant lavender-infused icing.
• Pina Colada Kringle Seasonal summer Kringle filled with tropical pineapple and coconut topping.
• Seven Sisters Cinnamon Coffee Cake Traditional Danish pastry handcrafted into seven individual rolls filled with cinnamon, topped with vanilla icing.
• Seven Sisters Almond Coffee Cake Traditional flaky Danish pastry handcrafted into seven rolls filled with almond and custard, topped with vanilla icing and toasted almonds.
• Seven Sisters Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake Traditional flaky Danish pastry handcrafted into seven rolls filled with almond, Door County cherry filling, and creamy custard, topped with vanilla icing and toasted almonds.
• Fan Favorite Gift Bundle Best-selling gift bundle containing one Pecan Kringle and one Raspberry Kringle, each in traditional flaky pastry topped with vanilla icing, for personal gifting or resale.
• Classic Kringle Favorites Gift Package Gift package containing a collection of classic Kringle flavors for personal gifting, corporate gifts, or resale.
• Classic Stick Sampler Assortment of stick-form Kringles measuring 5.5" x 14.5" and weighing 10.5 oz each, packaged as a sampler for gifting.
• Chocolate Trio Gift Package Gift trio of three chocolate Kringles: Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Silk, and Chocolate Eclair.
• Caramel Trio Gift Package Fall favorite gift trio of caramel-based Kringles.
• Kringle & Coffee Gift Set Kringle pastry paired with coffee as a bundled gift set for personal or corporate gifting.
• Individually Boxed Kringle Single Kringle packaged in an individual gift box, suited for personal gifting and corporate presents.
• Kringle of the Month Club Monthly subscription service delivering a different Kringle flavor each month to subscribers for an annual fee of $102.95.
• Baker's Dozen Single-Serve Pack Pack of 13 individual single-serve Kringles measuring 4.5" x 6.5" and 3.5 oz each, sold for personal consumption or small-format gifting.
• Single-Serve Kringle Gift Set Individual single-serve sized Kringles packaged as a gift set for personal portion control and gifting.
• Personalized Party Favors Customizable single-serve Kringles intended as party favors for events such as weddings, birthdays, and showers.
• Kringle Gift Cards Gift cards sold in various denominations for flexible gifting of Kringle products through the company website.
• Seven Sisters Coffee Cake & Kringle Combo Combo product featuring both a Seven Sisters Coffee Cake and a Kringle pastry, priced at $50.95.

Quantifiable outcome

• Featured in Food Network Magazine December 2013 as recommended holiday food gift
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SyscocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor foodservice distributor supplying Racine Danish Kringles to restaurants, hotels, and institutions nationwide.
• US FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational food distributor providing wholesale distribution of kringle products to foodservice operators.
• SuperValucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrocery wholesale distributor serving independent grocery retailers with kringle products.
• KeHEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNatural and organic specialty food distributor supplying kringles to specialty retail channels.
• Piggly Wiggly MidwestcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional grocery chain and wholesale supplier operating Direct Store Delivery program in Southeastern Wisconsin.
• AldicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational discount supermarket chain offering kringles in US store locations.
• Lipari FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional foodservice distributor serving the Midwest region.
• Valley BakersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional bakery distributor in the Midwest.
• CertcominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional grocery wholesale distributor serving Wisconsin retailers.
• CostcocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWarehouse club retailer selling kringles in bulk quantities at Costco locations nationwide.
• MeijercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMidwest regional retailer operating department stores and grocery with kringle in bakery departments.
• Hy-VeecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMidwest regional grocery chain offering kringles in-store through bakery departments.
• Kosher Supervisors of WisconsincoreOthersKosher certification organization providing Wisconsin Kosher-Dairy certification with periodic facility inspections.
• SQF (Safe Quality Food Institute)coreOthersGlobal food safety certification organization providing annual GFSI-benchmarked SQF certification for kringle production facility.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Goldbelly: National DTC marketplace that ships regional and artisanal foods (including competing kringle bakeries) directly to consumers; functions as a distribution and discovery channel for category peers rather than a direct product competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Hostess Brands: Iconic national snack cake brand competing in the impulse and gift-able sweet baked goods space; a broad incumbent in the same retail bakery and convenience channels where RDK is merchandised.
• Pepperidge Farm: Campbell-owned national bakery brand with cookies, breads, and pastries; competes in the broader premium baked goods category where RDK's kringles are merchandised in grocery bakery.
• Otis Spunkmeyer: National baked-goods brand focused on cookies, muffins, and frozen baked goods sold through foodservice and retail, comparable in distribution model (foodservice + retail) though different in product mix.
• Entenmann's: National packaged baked-goods brand owned by Bimbo Bakeries offering donuts, cookies, and pastries in grocery; overlaps with RDK on sweet baked goods at far lower price points and mass distribution.

Regional players

• Kemps: Upper Midwest dairy and frozen dessert brand sharing the Wisconsin/Minnesota regional footprint with RDK, comparable in distribution through regional grocery and foodservice channels.

Direct peers

• Bendtsen's Bakery: Racine-based Danish kringle producer in the same Wisconsin kringle tradition as RDK, sharing target customers, flavor profiles, and gift-occasion positioning.
• Lehmann's Bakery: Long-standing Racine Danish kringle bakery competing head-to-head with RDK in the local Wisconsin kringle market, also offering nationwide shipping and gift assortments.
• O&H Danish Bakery: Racine, Wisconsin-based Danish bakery producing kringles and other Danish pastries, directly competing with RDK in the same hometown kringle category with overlapping flavors, gift packaging, and nationwide shipping.

Emerging players

• Vosges Haut-Chocolat: Chicago-based premium chocolate and gourmet confectionery brand selling direct-to-consumer gift boxes with strong digital and subscription mechanics; competes with RDK in the premium food gifting occasion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/racinekringle
• Instagraminstagram.com/racinekringle
• Pinterestpinterest.com/racinekringle
• Xx.com/racinekringle

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Racine Danish Kringles