Shells by Design
Shells by Design is a privately held US manufacturer of specialty tart shells, producing 20+ SKUs across multiple flavors, sizes, and shapes for wholesale foodservice customers. The company operates a patented vertical shell production process from a 30,000 sqf Iowa bakery facility and distributes nationwide plus Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersMarine On Saint Croix, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Shells by Design does
Shells by Design, LLC is a privately held US food manufacturer founded around 2005 and headquartered in Marine On Saint Croix, Minnesota, with a 30,000 square-foot production facility in Iowa. The company specializes in the production of tart shells across a wide range of sizes (1 inch to 4.4 inches), shapes (round, square, triangle), and flavors (sweet, chocolate, savory, Graham, gluten-free), serving primarily wholesale and foodservice customers such as bakeries, commercial kitchens, and specialty food retailers.
Its core technology is a patented vertical tart shell production process, covered by multiple national and international patents, along with a proprietary coating system (palm oil-based with soy lecithin) that extends shelf life to approximately 8 months when stored at 55-65°F. Inputs are positioned as premium, including cage-free eggs, real butter, and unbleached wheat flour. The product line spans 20+ SKUs of tart shells plus a special-order-only Breakfast Tarts frozen dessert range of 14 varieties.
The business operates as a B2B wholesale supplier with no disclosed institutional investment or parent company, and the founder/owner-operated structure is evident from a 1-10 employee count. Revenue is generated through one-time case sales priced between $85 and $170 per case depending on size and flavor, distributed via direct toll-free phone ordering, a PayPal-integrated e-commerce storefront, and a European sales line, with free FedEx Ground shipping to the contiguous United States. Marketing and customer acquisition are conducted through direct sales and the company website, with no evidence of significant third-party distribution or institutional channels.
Shells by Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shells by Design
- Legal name
- Shells by Design, LLC
- Website
- https://shellsbydesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Shells by Design is a privately held US manufacturer of specialty tart shells, producing 20+ SKUs across multiple flavors, sizes, and shapes for wholesale foodservice customers. The company operates a patented vertical shell production process from a 30,000 sqf Iowa bakery facility and distributes nationwide plus Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shells by Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Bakery Products
- NAICS
- Commercial Bakeries (311812), Frozen Cakes, Pies, and Other Pastries Manufacturing (311813)
- SIC
- Bakery Products (2050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pastry, Cakes & Tortes Manufacturing (AFAKAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Frozen Bakery Products Manufacturing (AFAKAAAF)
Keywords
Where Shells by Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marine On Saint Croix
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Shells by Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tart Shell Products: The company generates revenue through the sale of tart shells in various sizes, flavors (sweet, chocolate, savory, Graham, gluten-free), and quantities. Products are sold in bulk case quantities with per-case pricing ranging from approximately $85 to $170 depending on product type and size.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Small Sweet Tart Shells (1.5-1.7in) - Case pricing $92-$168 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Medium Tart Shells (2.2-3.5in) - Case pricing $128-$137 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Large Tart Shells (3.75-4.4in) - Premium case pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Specialty Products - Breakfast Tarts and Desserts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels2 records
Shells by Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shells by Design manufactures and wholesales innovative tart shells and specialty desserts to commercial bakeries and foodservice operators. Products span sweet, chocolate, savory, graham, and gluten-free tart shells in multiple sizes (1in to 4.4in) and shapes (round, square, triangle), plus a frozen dessert line and breakfast tarts, sold in bulk case quantities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sweet Tart Shells
- Chocolate Tart Shells
- Savory Tart Shells
- Graham Tart Shells
- Gluten-Free Tart Shells
- Breakfast Tarts
- Frozen Dessert Line Collection
Companies that use Shells by Design
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Shells by Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Shells by Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Shells by Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- KeHE Distributors: Specialty food distributor serving natural, organic, and gourmet retailers/foodservice. Comparable as a channel partner that could expand Shells by Design's reach into specialty retail and foodservice buyers.
Broad incumbents
- Hometown Food Company: Manufacturer of branded baking and dessert mixes, frozen baked goods, and pantry staples. Comparable in producing specialty baked-goods formats for retail and foodservice channels.
- CSM Bakery Solutions: Large-scale bakery supplier of finished baked goods, dough, and ingredients to foodservice and retail. Overlaps with Shells by Design in the commercial bakery supply category but at meaningfully greater scale.
- Dawn Foods: Global bakery ingredients and finished-products supplier serving commercial bakeries and foodservice. Comparable because it sells into the same bakery/foodservice customers, though at far broader scale and product range.
- Rich Products Corporation: Frozen bakery and dessert manufacturer serving foodservice and in-store bakery customers. Comparable in producing pre-made frozen/semi-finished bakery items for B2B foodservice buyers.
- Brill (H.C. Brill): Specialty bakery supplier offering pre-made desserts, toppings, and baked-goods components to in-store bakeries and foodservice. Overlaps with Shells by Design in pre-finished bakery components.
- Pillsbury (General Mills): Iconic commercial bakery brand producing doughs, shells, and baked goods for foodservice and retail. Comparable category overlap (pre-made shells/doughs) but operates as a broad CPG incumbent.
Direct peers
- Andre's Pastry Shop: Specialty tart and pastry shell producer serving wholesale, bakery, and foodservice customers with pre-made shells. Closely comparable niche product positioning and B2B channel mix.
- Sweet Street Desserts: Specialty premium dessert manufacturer selling to foodservice and retail B2B customers. Highly comparable to Shells by Design's B2B wholesale model of producing ready-to-finish bakery/dessert components.
Regional players
- Bauducco Foods: Large global bakery products manufacturer (Brazil-headquartered) producing cookies, crackers, and baked snacks. Comparable in product category though it primarily serves non-U.S. markets and competes indirectly in the U.S.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Shells by Design social profiles
Digital presenceShells by Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shells by Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Shells by Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shells by Design 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 Shells by Design
What does Shells by Design do?
Shells by Design manufactures and wholesales innovative tart shells and specialty desserts to commercial bakeries and foodservice operators. Products span sweet, chocolate, savory, graham, and gluten-free tart shells in multiple sizes (1in to 4.4in) and shapes (round, square, triangle), plus a frozen dessert line and breakfast tarts, sold in bulk case quantities.
Is Shells by Design a public or private company?
Shells by Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Shells by Design founded?
Shells by Design was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Shells by Design based?
Shells by Design is headquartered in Marine On Saint Croix, United States, in the North America region.
How does Shells by Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: tart Shell Products.
Who are Shells by Design's main competitors?
KeHE Distributors is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Hometown Food Company, CSM Bakery Solutions, Dawn Foods, Rich Products Corporation, Brill (H.C. Brill) and Pillsbury (General Mills). Direct peers are Andre's Pastry Shop and Sweet Street Desserts. Bauducco Foods is listed as a regional player.
Does Shells by Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shells by Design.
What industry is Shells by Design in?
Shells by Design's product category is Commercial Bakery Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAAAB, Pastry, Cakes & Tortes Manufacturing, with a secondary code of AFAKAAAF, Frozen Bakery Products Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311812 and its SIC code is 2050.