What Cookware and Bakeware Alliance does

The Cookware & Bakeware Alliance (CBA) is a U.S. not-for-profit trade association founded in June 1922 as the Aluminum Wares Association and rebranded to its current name in January 2022. It is the only U.S.-based trade association dedicated to the cookware and bakeware sector, with its core technology being a member-developed, 25-section CBA Engineering Standards Manual covering design, tolerances, materials, testing, and finishes across aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, porcelain-enameled steel/iron, anodized, nonstick, silicone, glass, and induction-compatible products. Supporting offerings include the Good Science educational platform and PFAS Education Series, the Standards of Excellence certification seal, the "What's Cooking with the CBA" podcast, Industry News / PFAS legislation tracking, an Industry Connection Sponsorship program, and an annual Spring Meeting (104th in May 2026) and Fall Member Meeting (103rd at Sheraton O'Hare with 80+ attendees).

The association serves manufacturers, suppliers, coatings vendors, retailers, and importers of cookware and bakeware with substantial U.S. operations, with members spanning Le Creuset, Lodge Cast Iron, Newell Brands (Calphalon/Rubbermaid/Crockpot), Group SEB, Tramontina, Meyer Corporation US, Nordic Ware, Regal Ware, Fissler, PPG, ILAG Coatings, and global testing partner SGS. Its business model is membership-dues recurring revenue supplemented by one-time sales of the engineering standards manual ($1,000 PDF / $1,100 PDF+print for non-members) and standalone chapters (e.g., $250/$350 for the 2026 Nonstick Chapter), plus a $500/year Industry Connection Sponsorship. The organization operates with 6 employees from a Bradley Beach, New Jersey headquarters and is governed by a board of directors composed of member-company executives, with Fran Groesbeck serving as Managing Director following the transition from Penny Rosema.

The CBA's strategic positioning has expanded materially since 2022: it added a retailer membership tier and the Standards of Excellence program, initiated CPSC advocacy on PFAS in November 2023, formalized an international partnership with the European Association for Cookware, Cutlery and Housewares Industries (FEC) in July 2023, and has continued to release modular standards chapters (Cast Iron Finishes October 2022; Nonstick Chapter May 2026). The organization functions as the de facto self-regulatory body for U.S. cookware and bakeware in the absence of any dedicated government regulator.

Name

Cookware and Bakeware Alliance

Legal name

The Cookware & Bakeware Alliance

Website

https://cookwareandbakeware.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cookware & Bakeware Alliance (CBA) is the only U.S. trade association dedicated to cookware and bakeware, developing and maintaining voluntary engineering standards, PFAS regulatory education, and industry networking for manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and importers since 1922.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF (AFALACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accreditation & Oversight Bodies for Food Safety Certification (ABs/Scheme Owners) (AFALACAB)

Keywords

• Trade association services
• Engineering standards development
• Cookware manufacturing industry
• Bakeware product standards
• Industry membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradley Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and importers of cookware and bakeware. Members receive access to engineering standards, member portal, reports, podcasts, and exclusive industry insights.
2. Engineering Standards Sales: Sale of CBA Engineering Standards manuals and individual chapters to non-members. Members receive print and electronic updated versions included in membership benefits. Non-member pricing: Full manual PDF $1,000, printed copy $1,100; Nonstick Chapter standalone PDF $250, PDF+printed $350.
3. Industry Connection Sponsorship: Annual sponsorship program providing website presence, event recognition, email marketing mentions, social media exposure, direct marketing opportunities, verbal recognition, and visual branding at member meetings and trade show booths. Industry Connection Sponsor level: $500 per calendar year covering trade show booths, Annual Meeting, Fall Meeting, and member-only webinars.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Cookware and Bakeware Alliance is a not-for-profit trade association that develops and licenses the CBA Engineering Standards Manual for the cookware and bakeware industry, delivers industry education (podcast, Good Science resource, PFAS series), and convenes manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and importers through meetings, networking, advocacy, and the Standards of Excellence program. Membership tiers and Industry Connection Sponsorships sustain operations for ~6 staff supporting 550+ member contacts across the supply chain.

Product overview

The Cookware & Bakeware Alliance (CBA) is a trade association, not a product company. Its offerings include the CBA Engineering Standards Manual (the core publication covering design, materials, testing, and finishes for cookware and bakeware) sold as PDF or printed copies, plus standalone chapters like the 2026 Nonstick Chapter. Supporting services include the 'What's Cooking with the CBA' podcast, the Good Science Resource educational platform with PFAS education series, the Standards of Excellence certification program for members, and Industry News member-exclusive legislative tracking. The association also offers Industry Connection Sponsorship for non-member companies and maintains a Member Directory. All offerings are tied to industry standards development, consumer safety, and member engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CBA Engineering Standards Manual The authoritative engineering standards manual for the U.S. cookware and bakeware industry, providing product specifications, test methods, and reference standards used by manufacturers, suppliers, and test labs. Sold/licensed through the CBA website.
• 2026 CBA Engineering Standards Nonstick Chapter Updated nonstick coatings chapter released for the 2026 edition of the CBA Engineering Standards Manual, addressing evolving coatings and PFAS-related specifications.
• What's Cooking with the CBA Podcast Official CBA podcast covering cookware and bakeware industry topics, distributed on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music for members and the broader industry audience.
• Good Science Resource Educational resource from CBA presenting sound science on cookware/bakeware safety and materials, available to members and the public via the CBA website.
• PFAS Education Series Educational content series from CBA addressing PFAS chemistry, regulation, and compliance implications for cookware and bakeware manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers.
• Standards of Excellence Program Member recognition program that distinguishes companies meeting CBA's standards of excellence in cookware and bakeware manufacturing and business practices.
• Industry News and State Legislative Tracking Service Member-facing intelligence service delivering industry news and tracking state legislative activity, including PFAS regulations relevant to cookware and bakeware manufacturers and retailers.
• Industry Connection Sponsorship Annual sponsorship program offering member companies visibility and access across CBA events, communications, and the membership directory.
• CBA Membership Directory Member directory providing access to 550+ cookware and bakeware industry contacts, accessible through the CBA member portal.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55% Email Open Rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FEC (European Association for Cookware, Cutlery and Housewares Industries)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2023Global partnership to promote industry standards and innovation in cookware and bakeware. CBA and FEC together represent manufacturers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, working to maintain high standards of engineering and consumer safety globally. Organizations participate jointly in events, roundtable discussions on PFAS legislation, and standards development initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NSF International: NSF is a global, broader-scope standards developer and certifier in food safety, water, and consumer products. It competes with CBA in food-contact materials testing and certification and represents a much larger, more established authority in the same standards space.
• National Retail Federation: NRF is the largest U.S. retail trade association and a comparable membership-funded industry association model. It is much broader in scope and serves the retail side of CBA's retailer-members but operates on the same dues/events/advocacy framework.
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories): UL is a global safety standards and certification body. While broader in scope than CBA, UL develops standards and certifications for household cooking appliances and cookware, competing for the same standards-authority role.
• ASTM International: ASTM develops voluntary consensus standards across a much broader set of industries, including cookware, bakeware, and coatings. It is a competing standards-development organization to CBA, with greater scope and global recognition.

Others

• Consumer Technology Association: CTA is a large U.S. trade association (CES) running a comparable dues + standards + event model. While its core industry (consumer electronics) is different, its association operating model, advocacy function, and member tiers are structurally comparable to CBA.

Direct peers

• Household & Commercial Products Association: HCPA is the U.S. trade association for the household and commercial products industry, providing industry standards, scientific research, and regulatory advocacy. Its product stewardship and ingredient disclosure work directly parallels CBA's PFAS and food-contact standards work.
• International Housewares Association: The International Housewares Association is the U.S. trade association for the housewares industry and runs the Inspired Home Show that CBA participates in. It is the closest direct peer in mission (industry association for cookware/bakeware adjacent categories) and event footprint, and would be CBA's most obvious competitor/partner for members and standards authority.
• FEC - European Association for Cookware, Cutlery and Housewares Industries: FEC is CBA's stated transatlantic partner and serves the same cookware, cutlery, and housewares manufacturers across Europe. It is directly comparable as an industry-association peer with overlapping standards and PFAS advocacy work, but primarily serves European members.
• American Home Furnishings Alliance: AHFA is a U.S.-based industry trade association serving home furnishings manufacturers and suppliers. While focused on furniture rather than cookware, it operates on an identical model: member-funded trade association developing industry standards, advocacy, and events for a consumer-products manufacturing sector.

Regional players

• Cookware Manufacturers Association (historical) / current successor bodies in other regions: Refers to regional cookware/bakeware industry associations outside the U.S. (e.g., Japan, India, or Latin America equivalents) that perform analogous standards-setting and advocacy functions for their local cookware manufacturers. Regional players serve as comparable membership-funded industry bodies in similar product categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbT0w5MIoheUKbIRUMmpvMQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/CookwareBakewareAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cookware-bakeware-alliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/cookwarebakewarealliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Cookware and Bakeware Alliance