Highland Baking

Highland Baking is a family-owned commercial bakery headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, founded in 1984 and now operating in its second generation of ownership from a fifth-generation baking family. The company specializes in the production, fresh-freezing, and distribution of a wide variety of bread products targeted at foodservice operators, restaurant chains, and B2B customers seeking reliable, high-quality baked goods at scale. As a family-run operation with no outside investors, Highland Baking maintains a long-term focus on quality, customer relationships, and product integrity rather than short-term financial pressures.

The company's core product portfolio spans hundreds of SKUs across multiple bread categories, including hamburger buns, pretzel buns and breadsticks, ciabatta rolls and buns, sub rolls, hoagie rolls, hot dog buns, pan breads and sliced loaves, specialty sandwich rolls (including stamped knot buns, focaccia, telera, seeded, and cheese-topped formats), dinner rolls, sliders, and artisan breads such as baguettes, hearth breads, and rustic breads. The breadth of the line allows Highland Baking to serve as a single-source supplier for a diverse range of menu applications.

Beyond manufacturing, Highland Baking offers a comprehensive suite of value-added services that differentiate it from standard commercial bakeries. Its production capabilities include product commercialization and reformulation, giving customers the ability to bring new items to market or optimize existing recipes. The company collaborates closely with customers and their distribution partners to streamline delivery logistics. A dedicated culinary team provides real-time market insights and trend analysis through strategic food immersions and research, helping brand partners stay ahead of evolving consumer preferences.

Highland Baking operates a state-of-the-art Culinary Innovation Center at its Northbrook headquarters, staffed by chefs and culinary designers who develop marketing materials, build new product prototypes, conduct product testing, and create menu presentations. The Innovation Center also hosts ideation and innovation sessions for customers either on-site or at client locations, providing full-service facilitation for new product development initiatives. This capability positions Highland Baking as a true product development partner rather than merely a contract manufacturer.

With decades of experience working alongside a variety of unique customers across foodservice and retail channels, Highland Baking has built a reputation for flexibility, quick response times, and a highly involved level of service. The company controls its own investment decisions in both people and equipment, allowing it to uphold quality standards and adapt to customer needs without the constraints typical of investor-driven organizations. Its fresh-freeze and ship model enables broad geographic reach while maintaining the quality profile of freshly baked goods.