King Arthur Baking facts for kids
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King Arthur Baking retail store, cafe, bakery, and baking school
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| Private, employee-owned benefit corporation | |
| Industry | Food |
| Founded | 1790 |
| Founder | Henry Wood |
| Headquarters |
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United States
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Key people
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Karen Colberg and Ralph Carlton, co-CEOs |
| Products | Flour, baking mixes, cookbooks, baked goods, baking classes |
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Number of employees
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365 (as of 2020[update]) |
The King Arthur Baking Company is an American company that sells flour, baking ingredients, baking mixes, cookbooks, and baked goods. It used to be called the King Arthur Flour Company.
The company also has two baking schools. One is in Norwich, Vermont, and the other is in Burlington, Washington. King Arthur Baking started in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1790. Today, its main office is in Norwich, Vermont. The company is owned by its employees and is a special kind of business called a benefit corporation. This means it aims to do good for society and the environment, not just make money.
Contents
History of King Arthur Baking
How the Company Started
Henry Wood started the company in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1790. At first, he mainly brought in and sold flour from England. His business grew quickly. In the early 1790s, Wood took on a partner. They formed a company called Henry Wood & Company.
Later, in 1870, Benjamin F. Sands took over the company. He changed its name to show he was the new owner. In 1895, the company became a joint-stock company. It was then named Sands, Taylor & Wood Company. This name came from its owners at the time: Orin Sands, Mark Taylor, and George Wood.
The King Arthur Name
In 1896, Sands, Taylor & Wood introduced a new, high-quality flour. George Wood had seen a musical called King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. This show gave him the idea for the name: King Arthur Flour.
The new flour was launched at the Boston Food Fair on September 10, 1896. It was very popular and sold well. Over time, the company started selling flour to commercial bakeries. In the 1960s, they also began selling baking equipment.
Moving to Vermont
In 1978, the company's president, Frank E. Sands II, made a big decision. He sold off most of the business to focus only on flour. He also moved the company from Brighton, Massachusetts, to Norwich, Vermont.
By 1990, the company had only five employees. That year, they hired P. J. Hamel. Her job was to help the company sell more outside of New England. She also helped create a catalog for customers.
Brinna Sands, who co-owned the company with her husband Frank Sands II, had a great idea. She wanted to start a bakery and a school. She believed King Arthur should show people what their flour could do.
Becoming Employee-Owned
In 1996, the company became owned by its employees. This means that the people who work there also own a part of the company. They also changed the name to The King Arthur Flour Co., Inc. This new name showed that flour was their main product.
Since 2004, the company has been 100% employee-owned. Employees can become owners after working there for a certain amount of time. In 2007, it became a B corporation. This certification means the company meets high standards for social and environmental performance.
King Arthur Baking has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont many times. In 2016, it was named Company of the Year by a group for employee-owned businesses.
In 2016, a second baking school opened in Burlington, Washington. It is located at the Washington State University Bread Lab.
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New Name and Look in 2020
In July 2020, King Arthur Flour changed its name again. It became the King Arthur Baking Company Inc. This new name better shows all the products and services they offer, not just flour. The company also changed its logo. The old logo had a medieval knight on a horse. The new logo shows a wheat-themed crown.
As of 2020, the company had 365 employees.
Baking During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The new name and logo were launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, many people started baking at home. Before the pandemic, King Arthur Baking had learned that many customers baked to feel better during stressful times. This is called "stress baking."
In March 2020, the company's flour sales were about twenty times higher than the year before. Across the country, sales of flour, yeast, and other baking supplies doubled or tripled. The company's rebranding happened during a time of huge and unexpected sales growth.
The pandemic caused a sudden jump in business for King Arthur. Many people were staying home and started new hobbies, like baking bread. Also, many bakeries closed, so people couldn't buy bread from them. This made more people want to bake at home.
March is usually a slow month for the company. Sales usually go up for winter holidays and then for Easter. But in March 2020, orders from customers and grocery stores increased a lot. Calls to the company's baking advice line also went way up. People were actually buying flour, using it, and wanting more.
The shortages were not because there wasn't enough wheat. It was because there weren't enough small bags for flour. So, the company started making 3-pound bags instead of only 5-pound bags.
In spring 2020, many people visited their website pages about sourdough bread. The company had to hire more people for their advice line. They also created new recipes and baking videos online. They launched several online baking shows. These included The Isolation Baking Show and Baking with Kids.
What King Arthur Baking Does
Besides selling flour to businesses, King Arthur also sells baking tools, ingredients, mixes, and cookbooks. They sell these directly to people through their catalog, website, and at their main store in Norwich, Vermont. They also offer baking advice and classes.
Retail Store and Building
The company has sold baking supplies directly to customers since the 1990s. First, they used a catalog, and then they added online sales.
In 2000, the company opened a special building in Norwich, Vermont. This building has a bakery, a café, a retail store, and a baking school. Some people call it "the Mecca of Baking."
Cookbooks and Website
King Arthur Baking has published four cookbooks. One of them, King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion, won a big award for Cookbook of the Year in 2003.
Their website also has many recipes, baking videos, and advice. You can order products online and take virtual classes.
Baker's Hotline
Since 1993, the company has offered a Baker's Hotline. This service gives baking advice over the phone, through online chat, and on social media.
Baking School and The Bread Lab
The company offers baking classes in person at its Norwich store. They also have classes at Washington State University's Bread Lab in Burlington, Washington. You can also take classes online. Both locations offer classes for home bakers and for professional bakers.
In 2018, King Arthur helped create a recipe called the "Approachable Loaf." This recipe is for a healthy and tasty bread that can be sold at a good price. Many bakeries now make this bread. King Arthur sells it in their store as "Just Bread."
Baking Pitchfest
In 2024, King Arthur announced a baking contest called Baking Pitchfest. This contest is for bakeries and baked goods brands owned by people of color. The goal is to help these businesses grow. The winner will get help and money to build their brand and business. The competition was planned as a two-day event in May 2024 at the company's Vermont headquarters.
Bake for Good Program
The company has a school program called Bake for Good. This program teaches students how to bake. It also encourages them to share their baked goods with people in their communities.
