Name

SUNFLOWER BAKERY INC

Legal name

Sunflower Bakery Inc.

Website

https://sunflowerbakery.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Social Enterprise (Kosher Bakery and Culinary Training)

NAICS

Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Commercial Bakeries (311812), Retail Bakeries (311811), Frozen Cakes, Pies, and Other Pastries Manufacturing (311813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Bakery Products (2050), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Baking & Pastry Arts (EDAOAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional Culinary Arts (Chef Training) (EDAOAKAA), Restaurant & Foodservice Operations Management (EDAOAKAE), Nutrition, Special Diets & Wellness Cooking (EDAOAKAJ), Bread & Artisan Baking (EDAOAKAC)

Keywords

• Kosher bakery products
• Workforce development training
• Pastry arts program
• Culinary arts training
• Social enterprise catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bakery Product Sales: Retail sales of pastries, cakes, cookies, donuts, breads, brownies, bars, and seasonal items at the Bakeshop and Café Sunflower locations, and through online orders for pickup or local delivery. Products are sold individually, by weight, or in platters.
2. Catering Services: Corporate and personal event catering including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert platters. Catering menu includes breakfast pastries, box lunches, sandwich platters, salads, hot entrées, and desserts. Minimum 5 business days advance notice required.
3. Shipping Program: Year-round national shipping of preset dessert packages via FedEx to addresses in the Continental US. Customers order preset packages online and items ship on Tuesdays. Shipping costs included in FedEx One Rate pricing.
4. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporations including monthly recurring donations, honor/memory gifts, planned giving, stock donations, and corporate sponsorships. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
5. Kids' Parties: Cookie decorating birthday party packages for up to 10 children at $750, with capacity for 15 children at additional per-person cost. Includes guided activity, treats, and take-home items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sunflower Bakery Inc. operates a nonprofit social enterprise that provides 18-26 week workforce development training programs in Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, and Hospitality for young adults and teens with learning differences, paired with a commercial Kosher-certified bakery, café, and catering business. The training programs combine formal instruction with on-the-job production training and include ServSafe certification, while the retail operations sell dairy-free, peanut-free baked goods, Glatt Kosher prepared foods, catering platters, and shipped dessert packages.

Product overview

Sunflower Bakery Inc operates as a nonprofit social enterprise offering workforce development training programs alongside a retail bakery and catering business. The core product portfolio consists of three employment training programs (Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, and Hospitality) spanning 18-26 weeks, a Teen Exploration Program for high school students, and comprehensive Job Services for graduates. The commercial operations include a Kosher Pareve retail bakery producing dairy-free, peanut-free baked goods and a Kosher Glatt Culinary Kitchen preparing meat-based prepared foods. The organization also offers catering services, FedEx shipping of dessert packages nationwide, and special holiday products for Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Purim. Additional offerings include cookie decorating parties and community fundraising pickup partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pastry Arts Training Program A 26-week employment training program teaching pastry arts, baking techniques, and food safety to young adults with learning differences. Includes 13 weeks of formal instruction followed by 3 months of hands-on production training in professional kitchens, ServSafe certification, and Employee Development Training.
• Hospitality Training Program
• Culinary Arts Training Program
• Teen Exploration Program (STEP)
• Job Services
• Bakery Products (Retail)
• Catering Services
• Shipping Products
• Sunflower Kid's Parties
• Special Occasion and Holiday Products
• Sunflower in Your Community Fundraising Program
• Donut Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 675+ young adults and teens with learning differences served since 2009, with 90% program completion rate, 58% employment placement within 6 months, and 81% year-to-date retention rate.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• District Doughnut and CoffeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployer partner that has hired Sunflower Bakery graduates. Students placed at District Doughnut work as bakery assistants in pastry production roles.
• The Pretzel BakerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployer partner. Chad Anthony, co-owner of The Pretzel Bakery, serves on Sunflower's Advisory Council. Graduate Chad Anthony was recognized at the 2022 Celebration event.
• Tatte Bakery & CafecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized as an Exemplary Employer Partner at the 2025 Celebration event. Tatte Bakery has hired Sunflower graduates for pastry and hospitality roles.
• Nothing Bundt CakesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployer partner that has hired Sunflower graduates. Student Verilyn Gibbs works at Nothing Bundt Cakes.
• WegmanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed Exemplary Employer Partner at the 2026 Celebration. Multiple Sunflower graduates hired at the new Rockville Wegmans location. Featured in press coverage (The MoCoShow, July 2025).
• Adventist HealthCareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployer partner and corporate sponsor of Sunflower Bakery's annual Celebration event. Adventist Healthcare Shady Rockville was honored at the 2022 Celebration.
• Carmen\'s Italian Ice & CafeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployer partner listed on the website as a key employer partner for Sunflower graduates.
• Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunflower is an approved Community Rehabilitation Partner (CRP) with DORS for employment services in Pastry Arts and Hospitality programs, pre-employment training for STEP, and Job Coaching services. DORS provides referrals and financial support for eligible Maryland students.
• District of Columbia Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunflower is a DC RSA provider for employment services for its Pastry Arts and Hospitality programs. RSA refers District of Columbia residents to Sunflower's training programs.
• Jewish Federation of Greater WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency and collaborator in opening Café Sunflower (2015) alongside the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes. Provides ongoing organizational support and community connections.
• Jewish Foundation for Group HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Sunflower and Jewish Federation to open Café Sunflower in April 2015 to provide expanded employment training in front-of-house operations.
• American University Kogod School of BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBA class conducted a market study for Sunflower Bakery early in the organization's history, confirming favorability of targeting the kosher market.
• Adventist HealthCare (Corporate Sponsor)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Sunflower Celebration events. Logo featured prominently on event materials.
• Atlantic Union Bank (Corporate Sponsor)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Sunflower Celebration events.
• Gordon Food Service (Corporate Sponsor)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Sunflower Celebration events.
• Wegmans (Corporate Sponsor)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNamed Exemplary Employer Partner and corporate sponsor of the 2026 Celebration event. Active hiring partner for Sunflower graduates.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DC Central Kitchen: Washington DC-based nonprofit social enterprise that uses food (catering, meal production, distribution) as a tool for workforce development for adults facing barriers to employment. Directly comparable in geography and mission.
• The Pretzel Bakery: DC-area artisan bakery with Sunflower's co-owner serving on Sunflower's Advisory Council and hiring graduates. Closely comparable product category and geography.
• Hot Bread Kitchen: NYC-based nonprofit bakery and culinary training program focused on workforce development for women and immigrants, with a wholesale bakery supplying retailers. Highly comparable to Sunflower's mission-driven bakery plus training structure.
• Tatte Bakery & Cafe: Boston-origin artisan bakery and cafe expanding across the East Coast, including the DC metro. Listed as an Exemplary Employer Partner for Sunflower graduates; comparable pastry and cafe product offering to Cafe Sunflower.
• District Doughnut: DC-area donut shop that has hired multiple Sunflower Bakery graduates as bakery assistants. Comparable as a small-batch local bakery employer in the same market.
• Greyston Bakery: Yonkers, NY-based social enterprise bakery with an Open Hiring model that employs anyone regardless of background, producing baked goods for national brands. Closely comparable to Sunflower's nonprofit bakery-plus-workforce-development model.
• Melwood: Maryland-based nonprofit providing employment, vocational training, and support services for people with disabilities. Comparable in mission, target population (individuals with learning differences/disabilities), and Mid-Atlantic geography.

Broad incumbents

• SourceAmerica: National nonprofit that creates employment and contracting opportunities for people with disabilities across industries. Comparable to Sunflower's mission and target population, but operates at significantly larger national scale and broader scope.
• Nothing Bundt Cakes: National franchise bakery chain specializing in bundt cakes and desserts. A Sunflower employer partner that hires graduates; comparable as a scaled commercial bakery operator in the same metro.
• Baked by Melissa: NYC-based specialty bite-size cupcake and bakery brand with national shipping. Comparable to Sunflower's packaged bakery retail and shipping business, but without the workforce-development mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thesunflowerbakery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sunflower-bakery
• Instagraminstagram.com/sunflower.bakery

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 SUNFLOWER BAKERY INC