the good crust

What the good crust does

The Good Crust is a wholesale manufacturer of frozen pizza dough and related baked-goods products, founded in 2020 by occupational therapist Heather Kerner and headquartered in Canaan, Maine. The company produces a portfolio of frozen dough balls (3oz to 18oz), pre-sheeted rounds, par-baked Sicilian-style half-sheet crusts, ready-fill dough rounds, dinner rolls, sub rolls, hamburger buns, and a retail pizza crust mix. All products are made from 100% Maine-sourced grains supplied exclusively by Maine Grains' stone mill in Skowhegan, processed from 45+ Maine farmers pledging no chemical fertilizers or pesticides, using a 30+ year sourdough culture and a clean-label formulation with no added sugar, preservatives, or conditioners. The company holds Halal, Kosher, and Plant-Based certifications across its core pizza dough line.

The Good Crust operates a wholesale B2B go-to-market selling case-quantity frozen dough to school food service programs (60-90+ accounts), breweries and restaurants (named accounts include Flight Deck Brewing, Strong Brewing, Kennebec River Brewery, Miller's Table, Wolf Cove Inn), and natural food stores (100+ accounts across New England). Distribution is executed through regional and national food service distributors — Dennis Food Service, PFG, Sysco, US Foods, and Peak Season — supplemented by direct pickup and delivery within 100 miles of Canaan, and a weekly Friday pizza pop-up at the production facility. Pricing is per case at roughly $101-$255 depending on product, with Maine schools eligible for a 33% reimbursement through the state's Local Foods Fund, and nonprofits able to purchase discounted product kits for fundraising under the Raising Dough program.

The company is privately held, founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional investors or private equity backing. In 2022 it relocated to a dedicated 1,200 sq ft manufacturing facility capable of producing approximately 2,000 lbs of dough per day, and in 2024 it received a $1.5M federal grant as part of a $7.5M USDA award through Full Plates Full Potential to expand into Maine school breakfast and lunch programs via the Good Grains On the Go initiative. The Good Crust also runs an inclusive workforce model in which 81% of its employees participate in programs supporting Mainers with unique needs, positioning workforce development as part of its brand identity and social proposition.

Name

the good crust

Legal name

The Good Crust

Website

https://thegoodcrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Good Crust is a Maine-based wholesale manufacturer of frozen pizza dough and related baked goods made from 100% Maine-sourced, stone-milled grains, selling case-quantity products to school food service programs, breweries, restaurants, and natural food stores across New England through regional and national food service distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Frozen Pizza Dough

NAICS

Commercial Bakeries (311812), Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigerated & Frozen Doughs and Batters Manufacturing (AFAKACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Frozen Bakery Products Manufacturing (AFAKAAAF), Frozen Bakery & Dough Products Wholesale (AFAIAHAD)

Keywords

• Wholesale frozen dough
• Whole grain pizza dough
• Food service supply
• Stone-milled flour products
• School nutrition dough

Headquarters

HQ city

Canaan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Frozen Dough Sales (Food Service): The Good Crust sells frozen dough balls, pre-sheeted rounds, and half-sheets in bulk wholesale cases to school food service programs, breweries, restaurants, and institutions throughout New England. Revenue is generated through case pricing to distributors and direct B2B accounts. Products are sold via distributor partners (Dennis Food Service, PFG, Sysco, US Foods) and direct pickup/delivery within 100 miles of Canaan, Maine.
2. Wholesale Frozen Dough Sales (Retail/Natural Food Stores): Frozen dough balls and pizza crust mix sold in display-ready case boxes through the freezer section of natural food stores throughout New England. Natural food stores purchase cases wholesale and resell to end consumers.
3. Direct Pizza Sales (Friday Pizza): The Good Crust operates a Friday pizza pop-up at its Canaan, Maine location, selling cheese pizza ($18), pepperoni ($21), and specialty pizzas ($24.95) directly to consumers.
4. Fundraising Product Kits: Nonprofit organizations can purchase discounted pizza kits or case boxes of dough for resale to supporters as a fundraising mechanism. Products include 12oz frozen dough balls and packed pizza kits (small and large).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Good Crust manufactures and sells wholesale frozen pizza dough and related baked dough products (pre-sheeted rounds, Sicilian par-bake crusts, ready-fill rounds, calzone dough, dinner rolls, sub rolls, hamburger buns) made from 100% Maine-sourced, freshly stone-milled grains. Products are sold by the case to food service distributors, schools, breweries, restaurants, and natural food stores throughout New England, with a small direct-to-consumer pizza pop-up at its Canaan, Maine facility.

Product overview

The Good Crust is a wholesale pizza dough manufacturer offering a portfolio of frozen dough products made from 100% Maine-sourced, stone-milled grains. The core product line consists of frozen dough balls available in five sizes (3oz, 8oz, 12oz, 16oz, 18oz) designed for food service operations, schools, and retail. The product portfolio also includes pre-sheeted dough rounds, par-baked Sicilian-style crusts, ready-fill dough rounds, calzone dough, dinner rolls, sub rolls, and hamburger buns. All products are designed for easy preparation in institutional and commercial kitchens, with an emphasis on supporting local Maine agriculture and providing workforce development opportunities for individuals with unique needs. The company also offers fundraising products (pizza kits) for nonprofits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maine Pizza Dough Ball 3 oz Individually wrapped frozen pizza dough ball (3 oz) made from 100% Maine Grains, commonly used for individual pizzas, breakfast rolls, and bialy-inspired rolls. Sold by the case (150 units/case) to food service customers.
• Maine Pizza Dough Ball 8 oz Bulk-packed frozen pizza dough ball (8 oz) made to thaw, shape, and bake; commonly used for individual pizzas, robust calzones, and fougasse bread. Sold by the case (50 units/case) to food service customers.
• Maine Pizza Dough Ball 12 oz Frozen pizza dough ball (12 oz) commonly used for 10-14 inch pizzas. Sold by the case (36 units/case) to food service customers.
• Maine Pizza Dough Ball 16 oz

Quantifiable outcome

• 2x faster pizza prep time in school kitchens compared to previous frozen dough options
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Full Plates Full Potential (USDA Grant)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The Good Crust is a sub-grantee receiving $1.5M as part of a $7.5M USDA award to Full Plates Full Potential for transforming school food systems in Maine. The grant funds a pilot project to use hand-held breakfast and lunch foods made with Maine-grown ingredients on school menus.
• Maine GrainscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaine Grains is the exclusive supplier of stone-milled flour for The Good Crust. Located in Skowhegan, Maine, Maine Grains processes grains grown by 60+ Maine farmers who pledge no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The Good Crust's founder Heather Kerner is the twin sister of Maine Grains CEO Amber Lambke, creating a tightly integrated family-supplier relationship. The Good Crust originally launched in a shared kitchen at The Miller's Table at Maine Grains.
• Dennis Food ServicecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional food service distributor carrying The Good Crust products including 18oz dough balls (#28077), 16oz (#28078), 3oz (#28079), 16" pre-sheeted rounds (#28417), and 2oz Ready Fill rounds (#29268).
• PFG (Performance Food Group)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational food service distributor carrying The Good Crust 16oz dough balls (#847394), 12oz (#355628), and 16" pre-sheeted rounds (#396108).
• Sysco / US FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor national food service distributors through which customers can request The Good Crust products. Sysco code for 16" pre-sheeted dough: #7269955.
• Peak Season (Maine)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMaine-based food distributor carrying The Good Crust products including hamburger buns and sub rolls, providing local distribution within Maine.
• Maine Department of Education / Local Foods FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Good Crust qualifies for Maine's Local Foods Fund rebate program, through which schools receive $1 reimbursed for every $3 spent on The Good Crust products. The program helps schools overcome barriers to purchasing Maine-based foods.
• Maine Ag in the ClassroomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for the Good Grains On The Go initiative. Maine Ag in the Classroom develops the 'Farm to Pizza' Ag Mag (a free agricultural magazine about Maine's grain economy for grades 3-5) and provides grain-specific matrix lessons for classroom use.
• Pineland FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPineland Farms (Maine-based dairy) supplies cheddar cheese curd and smoked cheddar used in The Good Crust's bialy recipes featured in school food service contexts.
• Wyman Maine BlueberriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWyman Maine Blueberries supplies blueberries used in The Good Crust's breakfast danish and bialy recipes for school food service programs.
• Flight Deck Brewing (Brunswick, Maine)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship customer case study. Flight Deck Brewing launched a wood-fired pizza program using The Good Crust that drove 200% increase in non-alcoholic beverage sales, 6x highchair usage, 40% more repeat local customers, and was recognized with Maine Magazine's Best Outdoor Dining Experience award.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Rich Products Corporation: Large private frozen bakery manufacturer offering pizza dough, par-baked breads, and bakery ingredients to foodservice and retail. Comparable as a broad frozen-dough incumbent with overlapping product forms (pre-sheeted rounds, dough balls, par-baked crusts).
• Bimbo Bakeries USA: U.S. subsidiary of Grupo Bimbo and one of the largest commercial bakers in the country, producing breads, buns, English muffins, and frozen baked goods distributed nationally. Comparable as a broad incumbent commercial bakery whose frozen and par-baked lines overlap with The Good Crust's foodservice portfolio.
• Aryzta US (Aryzta North America): Swiss-listed global bakery group with a substantial U.S. frozen bakery business supplying artisan breads, par-baked products, and pizza dough to foodservice and retail. Comparable as a frozen dough and par-baked crust supplier competing for similar foodservice customers.

Others

• Maine Grains: Stone-milled flour and grain supplier in Skowhegan, Maine that is The Good Crust's exclusive flour source and vertically adjacent (founder's twin sister is CEO). Comparable as the upstream supplier / partner whose economics and reliability directly determine The Good Crust's input cost and brand story.

Direct peers

• Bridgford Foods Corporation: Public U.S. manufacturer of frozen bread dough, rolls, biscuits, and pizza dough sold to foodservice and retail. Most directly comparable to The Good Crust by product category (frozen dough), scale, and wholesale go-to-market via distributors.
• Bake'n Joy Foods: U.S. commercial bakery producing frozen cookie dough, muffin batters, and frozen dough products for foodservice and in-store bakeries. Directly comparable as a frozen-dough commercial bakery selling to foodservice distributors and institutional buyers.

Regional players

• Vermont Bread Company: New England artisan bread and dough producer selling wholesale to foodservice, retailers, and schools. Comparable as a regional New England bakery with similar local-sourcing positioning and foodservice/wholesale GTM.
• H&S Bakery / Northeast Foods (Schmidt Baking Co.): Mid-Atlantic/East Coast commercial baker producing breads, rolls, and dough products distributed to foodservice and grocery. Comparable as a regional commercial bakery that supplies dough and bakery products to East Coast foodservice operators in overlapping geographies.

Emerging players

• Forno d'Asolo: Italian-born, U.S.-based frozen pizza dough and artisan baked-goods producer supplying foodservice and retail with par-baked crusts and dough. Comparable as a premium frozen dough brand competing for similar artisan-pizza and foodservice customers.
• Cappello's: Cold-rolled and frozen pizza dough and pasta producer focused on clean-label, gluten-free, specialty-ingredient products sold to natural food retailers and foodservice. Comparable as an emerging frozen-dough CPG brand in overlapping natural food and specialty retail channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thegoodcrustmaine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-good-crust

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 the good crust