Special Kneads and Treats, Inc.

What Special Kneads and Treats, Inc. does

Special Kneads and Treats, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by Michael and Tempa Kohler in Lawrenceville, Georgia, after their son Bradley aged out of county-supported special needs programs at age 22. The organization operates a single retail bakery at 156 Scenic Highway S in a 12,000 square-foot wheelchair-accessible facility, producing cupcakes (26 flavors including 8 rotating seasonal), custom and pre-decorated cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, cake pops, brownies, cake mixes, and savory items such as chicken salad and croissants. Its signature specialty is Choc-Corn, a gluten-free, kernel- and hull-less puffed corn coated in white confection, sold in 5 oz, 15 oz, and 150 oz sizes. The organization also runs an Alternative Diet product line (gluten-free, vegan, all-free, and sugar-free).

The core social mission is dual: (1) employing adults with disabilities, who comprise 36 of the 44 paid staff as of September 2025, with over 147 individuals on the employment waiting list, and (2) the Cakes for Kiddos program, which distributes free 9x13 sheet cakes (up to 24 servings) to children, special-needs individuals, and elderly on low or fixed incomes through partnerships with DFCS, foster care organizations, food cooperative ministries, and elderly care facilities across Gwinnett County. Sponsorship of a single Cakes for Kiddos cake is priced at $15.

Revenue is generated through four streams: retail bakery sales via the physical storefront (Tue–Sat, 9 AM–5 PM), online store, and third-party delivery (DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats); tax-deductible donations and recurring C.A.K.E. Sponsors at $1/month; corporate sponsorships with tiered levels ($10,000+ Triple-Tier, $5,000+ Sheet Cake, $500+ Cupcake); and ancillary eBay for Charity sales. Fundraising is event-driven through the annual Gala-Q and the newly introduced Charity Car Show, and currently centered on the Project 250 campaign targeting $250,000 in annual donations. The organization is governed by a board chaired by John Newman with operational leadership retained by the co-founders.

Name

Special Kneads and Treats, Inc.

Legal name

Special Kneads and Treats, Inc.

Website

https://specialkneadsandtreats.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Special Kneads and Treats is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit retail bakery in Lawrenceville, Georgia that employs adults with disabilities and operates the Cakes for Kiddos program providing free birthday cakes to children, foster families, and elderly in need.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Bakery

NAICS

Retail Bakeries (311811), Baked Goods Retailers (445291)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Bakeries (Bread & Daily Bakery) (THAFAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes (THAFAFAC), Specialty Dietary Bakeries (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Allergen-Friendly) (THAFAFAI)

Keywords

• Nonprofit bakery operations
• Special needs employment
• Custom baked goods
• Alternative diet desserts
• Community birthday cakes

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrenceville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bakery Product Sales: Retail sales of cupcakes, cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, and other baked goods at their physical location and through online ordering. Custom orders placed 7 days in advance.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting their mission. Includes recurring CAKE Sponsor program for monthly donors and one-time donations.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship tiers including Triple-Tier Sponsors ($10,000+), Sheet Cake Sponsors ($5,000+), Cupcake Sponsors ($500+), and Cookie Sponsors. Includes both monetary and in-kind support.
4. Third-Party Delivery Platforms: Sales through DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats with higher prices on these platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Special Kneads and Treats, Inc. operates a commercial bakery that produces and sells cupcakes, cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, Choc-Corn, brownies, blondies, cake pops, and savory items, including alternative-diet (gluten-free, keto, vegan) varieties, through a retail storefront, online store, and delivery platforms. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it employs special needs adults and runs the Cakes for Kiddos program, which provides free birthday cakes to underserved children.

Product overview

Special Kneads and Treats, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit bakery that operates as a single-location retail bakery with a diverse product portfolio. The core offerings include cupcakes (26 flavors with 18 standard and 8 rotating seasonal), custom and pre-decorated cakes, cheesecakes, and the signature Choc-Corn specialty. The company also produces cookies, cake pops, brownies, blondies, cake mixes, and savory items like chicken salad and croissants. A key differentiator is the Alternative Diet Products line offering Gluten Free, Vegan, All Free (gluten/soy/corn free + vegan), and Sugar Free options. The organization's primary social mission is the Cakes for Kiddos program, which provides free birthday cakes to children and families in need through partner organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cupcakes Baked cupcakes in assorted flavors, including seasonal varieties, sold individually and by the dozen to retail and walk-in customers.
• Cakes Custom and decorated cakes available in a range of styles and flavors, including alternative-diet formulations (gluten-free, keto, vegan).
• Cheesecakes Cheesecakes sold to retail customers and through online ordering.
• Cookies Assorted cookies, including alternative-diet varieties, sold individually and packaged.
• Choc-Corn The bakery's signature item — popcorn coated in chocolate and mixed with candies — sold packaged to retail customers.
• Brownies & Blondies Brownies and blondies, including alternative-diet options, sold individually.
• Cake Pops Decorated cake pops sold individually, typically as party or gift treats.
• Cake Mixes Bundt cake mixes packaged and sold as take-home baking kits.
• Savory Items Non-sweet savory baked goods offered as part of the bakery's product lineup.
• Alternative Diet Products Gluten-free, keto, and vegan baked good variants produced as separate product lines within the bakery.
• Cakes for Kiddos Program Charitable program funded by cake sponsorships that provides free birthday cakes to underserved children in the community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 147 individuals on employment waiting list as of September 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration8 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.

• Ashton Manor at Sugarloaf, LLCminorOthersSenior living community distributing Cakes for Kiddos to residents.
• Gwinnett Adoptive & Foster Parent AssociationmajorOthersDistribution partner for Cakes for Kiddos program supporting foster families.
• Gwinnett Building Babies' BrainsminorOthersCommunity organization supporting early childhood development.
• Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS)majorOthersState agency distribution partner for Cakes for Kiddos program. Provides certificates to families in need.
• Dream Chasers 21 Inc.minorOthersOrganization supporting individuals with disabilities.
• Families 4 FamiliesminorOthersFamily support organization distributing birthday cakes.
• Family Promise of Gwinnett County, Inc.majorOthersOrganization helping families experiencing homelessness.
• Home of HopeminorOthersCommunity organization serving those in need.
• The Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, Inc.majorOthersLocal food bank ministry distributing birthday cakes to families.
• Mending the Gap, Inc.minorOthersOrganization serving those in need in the community.
• Neighbor to Family IncmajorOthersOrganization supporting families and children.
• Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry, Inc.majorOthersLocal food ministry cooperative serving Southeast Gwinnett area.
• Uniting Hope for Children, Inc.majorOthersOrganization empowering families to care for children.
• KrogerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKroger Community Rewards program allows shoppers to designate organization as preferred charity. Kroger donates a percentage of qualifying purchases.
• PayPalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUsers can set organization as preferred charity in PayPal. Round-up donations available.
• Georgia Gwinnett CollegeminorOthersService learning partnership with English students. Recognized for supporting student volunteers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tiff's Treats: Cookie delivery franchise specializing in warm cookies delivered for celebrations. Comparable product focus (cookies, celebration occasions), delivery-led distribution, and rotating specialty flavors.
• Sprinkles Cupcakes: Specialty cupcake bakery chain with retail storefronts and cupcake ATM distribution. Closely comparable product category (cupcakes as hero SKU), retail bakery model, and custom-cake offerings.
• Magnolia Bakery: Iconic specialty bakery famous for cupcakes and cakes with multiple retail locations. Comparable product focus (cupcakes, custom cakes, cheesecakes) and retail bakery model, though significantly larger scale and urban footprint.
• Georgetown Cupcake: Boutique cupcake bakery chain with rotating daily flavors and retail storefronts. Direct comparable in cupcake-focused product mix and flavor-rotation merchandising approach used by Special Kneads (18 standard + 8 seasonal flavors).
• Insomnia Cookies: Late-night cookie delivery chain serving college and urban markets. Comparable cookie product focus, multi-channel retail (storefront + delivery apps) model, and target overlap on celebratory occasions.
• Nothing Bundt Cakes: Specialty cake franchise chain focused on bundt cakes and celebration desserts with retail bakery storefronts. Directly comparable product mix (cakes, decorated specialty items) and customer occasion (custom celebration cakes, retail pickup), though operating as a for-profit franchise versus a single-location nonprofit.
• Greyston Bakery: Nonprofit social-enterprise bakery in Yonkers, NY that employs individuals with barriers to employment (including prior incarceration, homelessness) to produce baked goods for wholesale and consumer channels. Most directly comparable peer given its nonprofit-employs-marginalized-populations bakery model, similar to Special Kneads' special-needs workforce mission.
• Crumbl Cookies: Fast-growing specialty cookie franchise with rotating weekly flavors, retail storefronts, and strong digital/delivery channel presence. Comparable specialty-baked-goods positioning, rotating menu strategy, and multi-channel (in-store, delivery, app) distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Hostess Brands: Mass-market packaged bakery manufacturer producing cakes, cupcakes, and snack cakes at national scale through grocery and convenience channels. Comparable product category (cupcakes, snack cakes) but operates at the opposite end of the scale spectrum — mass production vs. Special Kneads' small-batch nonprofit model.

Emerging players

• Milk Bar: Specialty bakery concept known for innovative cakes, cookies, and confections sold via retail storefronts and e-commerce. Comparable specialty-product positioning and custom-cake offerings, though stronger urban/coastal presence and broader e-commerce mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SpecialKneads_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@specialkneadsandtreatsinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpecialKneadsAndTreatsInc
• Instagraminstagram.com/specialkneads_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/special-kneads-and-treats-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

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 Special Kneads and Treats, Inc.