Avant Food Media

B2B Trade Media / Commercial Baking Industry Publishingcommercialbaking.com

Avant Food Media is a privately-held B2B trade media company serving the US commercial and retail baking industries through two publications (Commercial Baking and Craft to Crumb), a podcast, video channel, newsletters, and sponsored whitepapers, reaching 7,000+ print and 6,000+ digital readers via subscriptions and supplier advertising.

Company typePrivate
Founded2020
HeadquartersKansas City, Missouri, United States
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2B
OfferingDigital Commerce or Content

What Avant Food Media does

Avant Food Media is a privately-held B2B trade media company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, founded in 2020, focused exclusively on the US commercial baking industry. It operates two publication brands: Commercial Baking, the flagship print and digital magazine serving decision makers and influencers at commercial baking companies, and Craft to Crumb, a retail baking-focused sister publication. The company reaches 7,000+ print subscribers and 6,000+ digital readers through a hybrid distribution model that combines hand-verified direct-to-reader subscriptions with targeted advertising and sponsorship programs aimed at equipment, ingredient, and service suppliers serving the baking industry.

The core product portfolio spans print, digital, video, audio, and event channels. Commercial Baking Magazine publishes quarterly issues plus two annual special editions in both print and interactive digital formats. The Troubleshooting Innovation podcast, hosted by Editor-in-Chief Joanie Spencer, has run for 19 seasons and is a centerpiece of the editorial franchise. The Commercial Baking Channel multimedia video platform hosts sponsored TechTalks, QuickTakes, booth trailers, supplier videos, and on-the-show-floor coverage of industry events such as IBIE, Pack Expo, ABA, BEMA, ASB, and IDDBA. Supporting products include six targeted email newsletters and a sponsored bonus content / whitepaper stream developed with named suppliers including Reading Bakery Systems, Coperion, St. Johns Packaging, AMF Bakery Systems, and Lallemand Baking.

Revenue is generated through three principal streams: recurring print and digital subscriptions, advertising and sponsorship (including the TechTalks sponsored video series, booth trailers, newsletter placements, and event sponsorships), and sponsored bonus content / whitepapers. The go-to-market is sales-led, with direct outreach from a dedicated sales function to baking industry suppliers and influencers. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding, no parent company, and no merger or acquisition activity in its history. Leadership comprises President and Publisher Paul Lattan, Executive Vice President and Director of Sales Steve Berne, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief Joanie Spencer, plus a creative, editorial, and multimedia team totaling 10-15 employees. The company has earned 2024 AZBEE recognition from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for the Troubleshooting Innovation Podcast (Regional Gold), Innovations Annual (Regional Silver), and Craft to Crumb Overall Excellence (National Website of the Year), and holds Gold Media Sponsor status for IBIE 2025.

Avant Food Media firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Avant Food Media
Legal name: Avant Food Media
Website: https://commercialbaking.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2020
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: Avant Food Media is a privately-held B2B trade media company serving the US commercial and retail baking industries through two publications (Commercial Baking and Craft to Crumb), a podcast, video channel, newsletters, and sponsored whitepapers, reaching 7,000+ print and 6,000+ digital readers via subscriptions and supplier advertising.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Avant Food Media industry classification

Industry

Product category: B2B Trade Media / Commercial Baking Industry Publishing
SIC: Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
akta.pro primary industry: Food, Cooking & Beverage Magazines (MPAJAEAF)

Keywords

B2B trade media
Commercial baking publishing
Industry magazines
Trade publication media
Sponsored content publishing

Where Avant Food Media is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Kansas City, Missouri
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Avant Food Media business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Digital Commerce or Content
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

Print and Digital Subscriptions: Subscription-based revenue from 7,000+ print subscribers and 6,000+ digital readers receiving quarterly magazines, newsletters, and special editions
Advertising and Sponsorship: Revenue from sponsored content, TechTalks video series, supplier videos, booth trailers, and newsletter placements
Bonus Content and Whitepapers: Sponsored whitepapers and bonus content from industry suppliers such as Reading Bakery Systems, Coperion, St. Johns Packaging, AMF Bakery Systems, Lallemand Baking

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Annual	Print subscription
Subscription	Annual	Digital subscription

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Avant Food Media product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Avant Food Media is a B2B media company that publishes Commercial Baking magazine (quarterly print and digital issues plus two annual special editions), the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast, the Commercial Baking multimedia video channel, and the Craft to Crumb retail baking sister publication. It also produces six targeted email newsletters and sponsored bonus content/whitepapers for industry suppliers. The company serves commercial baking industry executives and decision makers through subscription, advertising, and sponsorship revenue models.

Product overview

Avant Food Media operates Commercial Baking as a multi-platform B2B media company serving the commercial baking industry. The core offering consists of Commercial Baking Magazine (quarterly print and digital publications plus two annual special editions), the Troubleshooting Innovation Podcast (industry-leading podcast with 19 seasons), and the Commercial Baking Channel (multimedia video platform featuring TechTalks, QuickTakes, booth trailers, and supplier videos). Supporting products include six targeted newsletters, the Craft to Crumb retail-focused sister publication, bonus content with sponsored whitepapers, and extensive IBIE tradeshow coverage. The portfolio delivers content through print, digital, video, audio, and in-person event channels, reaching over 7,000 print subscribers and 6,000 digital readers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Commercial Baking Magazine Flagship quarterly print and digital publication of Avant Food Media serving commercial baking industry executives with quarterly issues, two annual special editions, and interactive digital formats covering new product development, trends, consumer behaviors, thought leadership, and supplier innovations.
Troubleshooting Innovation Podcast Industry-leading podcast exploring challenges and opportunities in baking innovation, hosted by editor-in-chief Joanie Spencer, featuring discussions on product development, sustainability, marketing approaches, and other industry topics across multiple seasons.
Commercial Baking Channel Multimedia video platform featuring industry content including TechTalks (sponsored video series), QuickTakes (short video insights), booth trailers, innovation minutes, on-the-show-floor segments, supplier videos, and editorial commentary.
Craft to Crumb Retail baking-focused sister publication to Commercial Baking, recognized with the 2024 ASBPE National Website of the Year award for Overall Excellence.
Sponsored Bonus Content / Whitepapers Premium whitepapers and sponsored articles covering industry topics such as operations, innovations, consumer trends, and supplier solutions from partners including Reading Bakery Systems, Coperion, St. Johns Packaging, AMF Bakery Systems, and Lallemand Baking.

Companies that use Avant Food Media

Customer profile

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Avant Food Media technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Avant Food Media partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

American Bakers Association (ABA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABA is a key industry association that Commercial Baking partners with for coverage and content. Commercial Baking provides media coverage of ABA events, conventions, and initiatives including the NextGenBaker Leadership Forum.
BEMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEMA is an international trade association representing bakery and food suppliers. Commercial Baking provides coverage of BEMA events and conventions including the annual BEMA convention.
American Society of Baking (ASB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASB is a community of baking industry professionals. Commercial Baking provides coverage of ASB events including BakingTECH and the ASB Mentoring Program.
International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDDBA serves the dairy, deli, bakery, and foodservice industries. Commercial Baking provides coverage of IDDBA events and annual shows.
International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial Baking was the Gold Media Sponsor of IBIE 2025. The publication provides extensive coverage including booth trailers, innovation minutes, and show floor content.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Avant Food Media competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Emerging players

Food Navigator: An Informa Markets digital media platform covering food, beverage, and supplement industries. It competes primarily in digital advertising and news, and overlaps with Avant on ingredient suppliers and product-development audiences.

Broad incumbents

Food Engineering: A BNP Media trade publication covering food and beverage manufacturing more broadly. While not baking-specific, it competes for the same supplier advertising budgets and overlaps significantly in audience at large baking companies.
Food Processing: Published by Putman Media, Food Processing covers the broader food and beverage manufacturing industry. It serves a wider scope than Avant but competes for the same supplier advertisers and reaches many of the same plant-level decision makers.
Food Business News: Also owned by Sosland Publishing, Food Business News covers the broader food industry with an editorial/news orientation. It overlaps with Commercial Baking in supplier coverage and competes for B2B advertising from food-industry suppliers.
Prepared Foods: A BNP Media trade publication focused on prepared and convenience food manufacturing. It competes for ingredient and equipment supplier advertising budgets and reaches product-development audiences adjacent to commercial baking.

Direct peers

Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery: Published by BNP Media, this is a long-running trade magazine serving snack food and commercial baking companies — directly overlapping Avant's audience of baking executives and supplier advertisers, and competing for the same advertising dollars.
Milling & Baking News: Owned by Sosland Publishing, Milling & Baking News is a multi-decade incumbent covering the grain, milling, and commercial baking industries. It targets the same baking-industry executives and suppliers as Commercial Baking, making it the most direct legacy competitor.

Others

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods: Published by BNP Media, this title covers the cold-chain and frozen food industries. While not directly competitive, it shares suppliers and advertiser relationships and reaches portions of the commercial baking audience operating in frozen bakery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Avant Food Media financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Avant Food Media leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Avant Food Media subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries2 records

Avant Food Media funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

Avant Food Media 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 Avant Food Media

What does Avant Food Media do?

Is Avant Food Media a public or private company?

Avant Food Media is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.

When was Avant Food Media founded?

Avant Food Media was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Avant Food Media based?

Avant Food Media is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, United States, in the North America region.

How does Avant Food Media make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Print and Digital Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are advertising and Sponsorship and bonus Content and Whitepapers.

Who are Avant Food Media's main competitors?

Food Navigator is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Food Engineering, Food Processing, Food Business News and Prepared Foods. Direct peers are Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery and Milling & Baking News. Refrigerated & Frozen Foods is listed as an others.

Does Avant Food Media have an API?

No public API is recorded for Avant Food Media.

What industry is Avant Food Media in?

Avant Food Media's product category is B2B Trade Media / Commercial Baking Industry Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAF, Food, Cooking & Beverage Magazines. Its SIC code is 2721.