Retail Bakers Month is celebrated in January every year. It celebrates retail bakers across the United States. Retail bakers sell baked goods directly to customers instead of other businesses or distributors. Retail bakeries are direct-to-customer industries. They differ from commercial bakers because they do not produce baked goods on a commercial level. The objective of this month-long event dedicated to retail bakers is to celebrate their craft and the amount of care that goes into baking every single day.
History of Retail Bakers Month
Baking has been around for a large part of human history. The oldest ovens known to us were found in Croatia in 2014, and are thought to be about 6,500 years old. The first time yeast was used as a leavening agent was as far back as 2600 B.C. in Ancient Egypt. One of the first known baker’s guilds was founded in 168 B.C. in Ancient Rome. The Pistorum, as it was called, recognized bakers as skilled artisans. Bakers even had a patron goddess known as Fornax, the oven goddess.
Baking in the Middle Ages was largely reserved as a service of the wealthy. The ability to bake bread with refined flour was a source of social mobility. The poor could only afford bread made from grains like rye. After the European colonization of the world began, the influx of new spices into the Western world transformed the practice of baking. Future economic growth in the 16th and 17th centuries led to the inculcation of decedent forms of dairy in baked goods, along with an increased ability to access baking ingredients for the general population. The Industrial Revolution made baking even more accessible to more people through technological advancements. By 1747, the semi-closed oven had been invented and “The Art of Cookery” was published. These made baking tools and ideas more accessible to the average person. The invention of baking powder made it easier to make the fluffy cakes we know and love today.
Today, baking is both a hobby for budding bakers and a source of livelihood for bakers across the world. Retail Bakers Month is celebrated to support their hard work and the love they put into their craft, especially the small-time bakeries that provide everyone with delicious breads and pastries every day at any time.
Retail Bakers Month timeline
The first-known ovens are used in Croatia.
Yeast is used as a leavening agent in Ancient Egypt.
The Pistorum, Rome’s bakers' guild, is formed.
“The Art of Cookery” is published.
Retail Bakers Month FAQs
Is a bakery under the retail or hospitality sector?
Although it can be considered in both because it is under the food category, bakeries lean more in the retail sector.
What industry is a bakery in?
The bakery industry is a grain-based food industry.
What is a retail bakery?
It is a bakery that sells its products directly to the customer.
Retail Bakers Month Activities
Support your local bakery
Find the closest retail bakery. Buy a few baked goods to enjoy and show your support.
Look up the history of baking
Baking has a wonderful and interesting history. Learn about it this month.
Talk about your favorite retail bakery on social media
Help support your favorite retail bakery. You can do so by recommending it on social media.
5 Interesting Facts About Baking
Betty Crocker isn’t real
She is actually a fictitious person created by the Washburn Crosby company.
The choco-chip cookie disaster
The chocolate chip cookie was actually a mistake — the initial intention was to create a pure chocolate cookie.
No refrigeration
Though common, refrigerating baked goods makes them go stale faster.
The etymology of cookie
‘Cookie’ comes from the Dutch ‘koekje,’ which means “little cakes.”
Baking soda
Baking soda was invented in 1846.
Why We Love Retail Bakers Month
It’s an excuse to eat baked goods
We absolutely love all things baked. Retail Bakers Month is a perfect excuse to eat some delightful breads and pastries.
It appreciates the craft of baking
Baking is a very precise craft. Retail Bakers Month is a great opportunity to appreciate the art of baking.
It appreciates retail bakers
Retail bakers pour a lot of time and dedication into honing their abilities. Retail Bakers Month is a good way to appreciate them.
Retail Bakers Month dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | January 1 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | January 1 | Thursday |
| 2027 | January 1 | Friday |
| 2028 | January 1 | Saturday |
| 2029 | January 1 | Monday |
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