2024 Media Kit - Avant Food Media

EXCLUSIVELY FOCUSED ON BAKING

2024 Media Kit

2024 Media Kit

Trade Media Made Modern and Fresh

Why Avant Food Media?

At Avant Food Media, we are invested in our clients’ success. With a family of targeted media products, we offer advertisers better reach through every platform. Instead of a “one-stop shop” for all food-related verticals, Avant Food Media focuses entirely on the baking industry … from commercial to retail, both domestic and international.

We are currently the only B2B media provider solely focused on baking.

• Commercial Baking for mid-to-large-scale

• Craft to Crumb for high-volume retail and artisan

• baking + biscuit for euro-international baking

We encourage marketers to make surgical media decisions and believe in a right-sized approach to deliver higher engagement with the right audiences. We also lead with excellence in all that we do, from elevated digital offerings to ultra high-quality magazines.

A results-driven approach and fair rates are built into Avant’s foundation. We are dedicated to genuine support of our advertisers and consider ourselves an extension of their marketing teams.

Why Commercial Baking?

Avant’s flagship, Commercial Baking has become the industry’s premium media source by focusing on what’s most important to decision makers and influencers: the data, trends and innovations shaping the business of baking.

With a targeted, hybrid model that bridges print and digital media, Commercial Bakin g leads with unmatched quality and a footprint that intentionally dials down the noise for qualified industry decision makers. We will never tout millions of opportunities; we lead with a manageable cadence of content that our audience can consume without getting overwhelmed and becoming disengaged.

Entering its fourth year, Commercial Baking continues its high standards of excellence and advertiser value. We are steadfast to our guiding principles and will never stray.

• Progressive media model built for the future

• Reader-focused editorial that’s not advertiser-driven

• Design that shatters the status quo

• Right-sized media focused on quality over quantity

• Unmatched qualified subscriber list

• Culture of dedication to the industry

• True commitment to advertiser value and performance

Influence in Media With 80+ Total Years of Experience

Paul Lattan

PUBLISHER

816. 585. 5030 | paul@avantfoodmedia.com

Joanie Spencer

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

913. 777. 8874 | joanie@avantfoodmedia.com

Olivia Siddall

MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST olivia@avantfoodmedia.com

Steve Berne

DIRECTOR OF MEDIA

816. 605. 5037 | steve@avantfoodmedia.com

Mari Rydings

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR mari@avantfoodmedia.com

Annie Hollon

DIGITAL EDITOR annie@avantfoodmedia.com

Erin Zielsdorf

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE erin@avantfoodmedia.com

Jordan Winter

CREATIVE DIRECTOR jordan@avantfoodmedia.com

Maddie Lambert

ASSOCIATE EDITOR maddie@avantfoodmedia.com

Market | Circulation Curated for Decision Makers

The Market

US CENSUS OF MANUFACTURING (LATEST DATA, 2020 - RELEASED 2022)

* Number of firms:

* Number of establishments:

** Value of shipments:

** Number of employees:

** Cost of supplies (raw materials):

expenditures for machinery and equipment (new and used):

expenditures for buildings and other structures:

Sources: Industry resources, US Census of Manufacturing, Association data, publisher’s own data / postal receipts.

* Latest Data, 2017 | ** Latest Data, 2020 (re-released with updates 2023)

Circulation

CIRCULATION DATA FOR COMMERCIAL BAKING MAGAZINE AND DIGITAL AUDIENCE Personally selected and verified print circulation: 9,800 commercial baking industry executives

Circulation: Commercial Baking magazine

Digital offerings

Extending Industry Reach Affiliated Media

A new media source for craft, artisan, in-store and foodservice bakers, Craft to Crumb is the sister brand to Commercial Baking.

Launched in 2023, this new title directly addresses the needs of informed and innovative bakers who are leading a resurgence of the craft in a post-pandemic marketplace.

Readers will find the latest information on the top bakers, products and consumer trends creating avenues for growth and the supplier offerings available to support them.

Craft to Crumb delivers a modern mix of rich multimedia offerings and limited editions of high-quality, stylized digital mini-magazines spun off the Commercial Baking concept.

Avant Food Media | Commercial Baking maintains a cooperative agreement with the leading euro-international baking journal baking+biscuit international from F2M.

This magazine is the English-language sister to the acclaimed German-language journal brot+backwaren published six times per year with 5,000 hard copies delivered per issue and thousands reading the digital editions.

For two decades, baking+biscuit international has been the preferred baking industry media across Europe, Australasia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa. With an eye on international markets, its editors report on bakery trends, innovations and critical developments relating to raw materials, technology, processes and beyond..

Led by industry media veteran Dirk Dixon, baking+biscuit international is a natural fit for any suppliers marketing to bakers overseas.

Thought for Food Editorial Calendar

Sifting Through the Noise Digital Offerings

Commercialbaking.com

Smartly matching the title of our brand, commercialbaking.com is the hub for all our digital content. The site’s simple, clean design offers visitors an easy-tonavigate format that delivers up-to-date news and featured content specific to commercial baking. Never more than a click or two away, readers now have access to a more concentrated site that sifts through the noise of crowded competitive websites. Advertising opportunities include leaderboards/ footerboards and medium rectangles, all run-of-site. Positions are sold by the month, and the limited inventory is offered on a first-come basis.

Digital Edition

Commercial Baking is so much more than just a sleek print magazine. It’s delivered through a next-generation digital platform called ISSUU, which offers a fully interactive reader experience. The pages come alive with exclusive bonus content including live links, videos and more. We encourage advertisers to use these features at no extra charge. Commercial Baking is constructed as a digital magazine that is also printed, rather than a printed magazine that happens to offer a digital version.

Newsletters

With a thoughtful mix of weekly and monthly newsletters, all branded as Commercial Baking , we have carefully crafted our send strategy to limit deployments and develop an engaged following. The result is more concentrated readership of our newsletters and satisfied advertisers.

We offer blockbusters and medium rectangles for each title sold by the month. Inventory is limited and offered on a first-come basis.

WEEKLY (52 x )

Delivering the week’s top stories in one concise newsletter each week.

MONTHLY (12 x )

Taking a deeper dive into the month’s most compelling news.

PRODUCTS (12 x )

A collection of the month’s most exciting baked goods launches.

SOLUTIONS

(12 x )

Showcasing the top innovations for commercial baking each month.

CHANNEL (12 x )

Offering a one-stop pathway to our latest multimedia offerings each month.

Sifting Through the Noise Digital Offerings

Custom Digital Offerings

TECHTALKS

Our editors visit key suppliers via Zoom to discuss their latest innovations that are currently available to commercial bakers in an 8- to 10-minute recorded video. This concept has been incredibly successful for advertisers as a versatile marketing tool that can be used in so many ways and with essentially no shelf life.

BOOTH TRAILERS

After a wildly successful launch for IBIE 2022, Commercial Baking offers Booth Trailers for major industry tradeshows. Booth Trailers offer a modern way to promote new technologies directly to attendees leading up to a tradeshow. Produced, edited and promoted by Commercial Baking , these brief videos can be used in a variety of ways to attract prospective booth visitors. In addition to providing an overview of your booth and products, your key staff can offer a personal invitation to visit your company on the show floor.

INNOVATION MINUTES

The Innovation Minute is a new video offering produced and promoted by Commercial Baking. These 60-second videos highlight innovations from tradeshow exhibitors and are captured on the show floor from the client’s booth. This is a great way to follow up any tradeshow and keep the energy flowing well beyond when the show ends.

EMAIL CAMPAIGNS

Commercial Baking offers a limited number of Email Marketing Campaigns (EMCs) and Automated Marketing Campaigns (AMCs) exclusively for advertisers that are also supporting our content. EMCs are single send email campaigns and AMCs are campaigns that after the initial send, follow up with those that opened, but didn’t act on, the first deployment. EMCs and AMCs are an efficient way to make a targeted splash and generate specific awareness and leads with our concentrated audience of decision makers and influencers.

Sponsorable Content

PODCAST

Our podcast series, Troubleshooting Innovation, looks at the challenges and opportunities that come with bakery innovation. This is a targeted podcast series that focuses on areas for efficient growth in commercial baking. Every season features five conversations with one expert. This is hands down the best podcast in the business delivering insightful conversation with personality. Full seasons can be sponsored for high-impact connections with listeners.

QUICKTAKES

These short video interviews and audiograms from bakers and industry influencers offer a take on a specific trend, innovation or tip. This sponsorable content is pushed out using all of our relevant media channels.

‘CATCHING UP’ SERIES

During in-person industry events, Joanie Spencer, Commercial Baking editor-in-chief, catches up with bakers about what they’re looking for at the show. The “Catching Up with Commercial Baking ” series can be sponsored by tradeshow exhibitors and take place onsite at the event in a live or pre-recorded format.

Custom Digital Offerings A Deeper Dive

TechTalks

(FULL ANALYTICS AND LEAD GEN INCLUDED)

• Dedicated Email Campaign (EMC)

• Commercial Baking homepage for a month

• Commercial Baking Channel for a year

• Posted to Commercial Baking YouTube channel

• Social media promotion on Commercial Baking channels

• PAID social media campaign

• Inclusion in a Commercial Baking Channel newsletter

• Inclusion in Commercial Baking magazine with link/QR code

• Share kits provided for client amplification

Booth Trailers

(FULL ANALYTICS INCLUDED)

• Aggregated email campaign

• Commercial Baking homepage for a month

• Commercial Baking Channel for a year

• Posted to Commercial Baking YouTube channel

• Social media promotion on Commercial Baking channels

• Inclusion in a Commercial Baking Channel newsletter

• Inclusion in Commercial Baking magazine with link/QR code

• Share kits provided for client amplification

Innovation Minutes

(FULL ANALYTICS INCLUDED)

• Aggregated email campaign

• Commercial Baking homepage for a month

• Commercial Baking Channel for a year

• Posted to Commercial Baking YouTube channel

• Social media promotion on Commercial Baking channels

• Inclusion in a Commercial Baking Channel newsletter

• Inclusion in Commercial Baking magazine with link/QR code

• Share kits provided for client amplification

Email Campaigns

(FULL ANALYTICS AND LEAD GEN INCLUDED)

• Email Campaign (EMC)

• Automated Marketing Campaign (AMC)

Outperforming Without Overspending 2024 Rates

With our rightsized media approach, you can stand tall.

With our concise and consolidated footprint, it doesn’t take an extensive advertising budget to stand out in our media. Don’t be a blade of grass in a field…be among the tallest trees in the forest. Align your brand with Commercial Baking and market your company above all others.

INSIGHTS AND INSPIRATION FOR THE RETAIL BAKING COMMUNITY

2024 MEDIA KIT

Our Mission An Introduction to Craft to Crumb

Avant Food Media has amplified its trusted voice for mid-to large-scale bakery producers through its flagship publication Commercial Baking , and the team has taken its storytelling expertise and flair for building baker relationships into the retail space.

Focused on loyalty and engagement, Craft to Crumb is an influencer in the retail baking space, leading a casual but informed style of conversation with the industry’s most innovative artisan bakers. This community-focused platform promotes partnership and idea sharing and provides advertisers an authentic outlet that their customers will notice … and use.

With a mission to share insights and inspiration for the retail baking community, Craft to Crumb is a contemporary, interactive media model designed to foster community. Dedicated to cross-platform narratives with refined design elements, Craft to Crumb brings bakers the latest consumer trends and product development from leaders in the industry. This is a crafted celebration of trendsetters and boundary breakers, backed by fresh insights and reliable data.

Our content is created for a digital social age, designed to spark new ideas and conversations that encourage bakers and business owners to better their enterprises with a collection of articles, demos and insights. It’s a forum for bakers to connect and learn about processes, equipment and ingredients that are changing the game in retail baking.

Align yourself with the newest, most elevated voice in baking.

Influence in Media With 80+ Total Years of Experience

About Avant Food Media

Focused on the future, Avant Food Media was founded in 2020 by three baking industry media veterans with a collective 70 years of experience. Their passion for bakers’ narratives and commitment to advertiser value are unmatched in the industry.

In just three years, Avant modernized trade media by establishing a new model that turns traditional formats upside down through relevant, meaningful content that garners legitimate visibility for advertisers.

With a flair for creating platforms that bring bakers and suppliers together, Avant fosters true partnerships and genuine support for its advertisers. The result is raising the bar for B2B media in every sector of baking.

About Commercial Baking

Launched in 2021, Commercial Baking is a premium media source that focuses on what’s most important to decision makers and influencers in the category identified by the US Census of Manufacturing as commercial bakeries.

Commercial Baking offers the data, trends and innovations reshaping the business of baking through a hybrid model of targeted magazines combined with consolidated and fresh digital and multimedia offerings.

About the People

Paul Lattan PUBLISHER paul@avantfoodmedia.com

Mari Rydings

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR mari@avantfoodmedia.com

Erin Zielsdorf ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE erin@avantfoodmedia.com

Joanie Spencer EDITOR-IN-CHIEF joanie@avantfoodmedia.com

Maddie Lambert ASSOCIATE EDITOR maddie@avantfoodmedia.com

For the Love of the Craft

Our Manifesto

Bakers bake. They also run the front of the house. And train their staff. And fill in for the missing staff. And do the marketing. And run the social media. And the list goes on and on.

We see you, bakers.

There is indeed art and science that goes into baking, and we’re here for that. But there’s something else, too: love. There’s a love that only bakers truly understand. It’s why they get up before the sun rises and work long after the product is finished … after the cases are empty and the last crumb is wiped clean.

That’s a love that comes from seeing people consume their products for nourishment, satiety and pure, unadulterated joy. When made properly, an artisan baked good is one of those few things that simultaneously provides comfort and adventure.

Baked goods are some of the world’s oldest foods, and the artisans who make them have answered a calling. They get their hands dirty in a craft that requires the physical strength of a steel worker, the finesse of a poet and the business savvy of a corporate executive.

In an age of social media, bakers can showcase their artistry to the world. But at the same time, it’s isolating. Bakers are the first to rise and the last to rest. There are few business trips or tradeshows. They learn by doing — by making mistakes, fixing them and starting over — all for the love of the craft.

We feel you, bakers.

Baking is communal. It’s to be shared, just as much as the products themselves. And this is why Craft to Crumb exists. This is for artisan bakers to share their love of the craft in a place of community.

We believe that bakers deserve a voice, and our platform is designed to make those voices heard. By sharing insights and inspiration from baker to baker, we are creating a community to serve every facet of retail baking.

We hear you, bakers.

This is your invitation to participate in a community where bakers can learn, share and grow in their craft.

Market | Circulation

An Introduction

The Market

The term “retail bakery” is an umbrella for independent bakeries selling directly to individual consumers. This includes retail, artisan, craft, in-store, foodservice, e-commerce and specialty bakeries where the primary product is baked onsite. There are more than 18,000 retail bakeries throughout the US, but the pandemic vastly changed the landscape, creating a market in need of community.

Dedicated to establishing a following founded on innovation, Craft to Crumb is designed to engage the market’s most progressive bakers.

Retail and Specialty Bakery Shops — US

SOURCE: LATEST DATA FROM THE US CENSUS BUREAU, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Circulation Breakdown

Across all segments of the industry, 11,018 total decision makers — including owners, top managers and head bakers — comprise the Craft to Crumb digital audience.

Media Mix Digital-Forward to Reach All Bakers

Mini-Mags

Craft to Crumb ’s digital mini-mags provide a bite-sized media experience showcasing a notable bakery making waves in the industry. Released quarterly, digital minis feature live links, video embeds and more, all with easy access from any digital platform. Each digital issue features sponsorable content in watch | listen | read formats.

Issues: March, June, September, December

Crafttocrumb.com

The Craft to Crumb website highlights the best retail bakers and bakery business owners, along with relevant industry news and more. The site is carefully segmented to maximize a user-friendly experience, with interactive content and the most thoughtful stories always within reach.

Newsletters

With a thoughtful mix of newsletters, we have carefully crafted our send strategy to limit deployments and develop an engaged following. The result is more concentrated readership of our newsletters and satisfied advertisers. We offer blockbusters and medium rectangles for each title sold by the month. Inventory is limited and offered on a first-come basis.

WEEKLY: The week’s top new stories, all in one place.

LOOK | LISTEN: Promoting our latest multimedia content each month.

Videos

Artisan bakers crave community. But when owner-operators are running a lean staff, it’s almost impossible to break away for training, education and networking. Craft to Crumb video content provides that “nearly there” experience with demos, interviews, bakery tours and more. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

TECHTALKS: 8-10 minute video discussing technologies for retail bakers.

CRUMBCUTS: Snippets from bakers on trends and industry issues.

BEHIND THE BAKE: An inside look into bakeries on the rise.

Media Mix CMB Study Hall

Craft to Crumb , in partnership with the Retail Bakers of America (RBA), offers a special video series: RBA’s CMB Certification Study Hall. Designed as a resource to help bakers prepare for RBA’s Master Baker Certification, the series features certified master bakers (CMBs) demonstrating key techniques required for the practical exam. Videos cover tips and tricks for all major product categories.

These roughly 10-minute videos serve as hands-on tutorials for bakers seeking to hone the skills and techniques needed for Master Baker Certification. About a dozen videos will be produced this spring, then promoted to the industry at a regular cadence throughout the year. These tutorials are hosted on crafttocrumb.com and also accessible for RBA members on the association’s website.

Sponsorship

• Sponsor(s) co-branded with RBA and CtC

• Logo and mention as sponsor in all promotions

• Logo at intro and outro of each video

• Email campaign promotions

• Joint promotion from CtC , RBA and sponsor(s)

• Multi-year shelf life. These videos will exist for years!

Promotion

• Email campaign each month to our audience and RBA members to announce new episode

• Promotion via Craft to Crumb social channels

• Inclusion in the Look I Listen newsletter

• Posting on crafttocrumb.com homepage

• Posting on the Look I Listen section of crafttocrumb.com

• Links to videos from quarterly mini-mags

• RBA and sponsor promotion on all relevant channels

Media Mix A Deeper Dive

Custom Digital Offerings

TECHTALKS

Our editors visit key suppliers via Zoom in an 8- to 10-minute recorded video to discuss the latest innovations currently available to retail bakers. This new concept has been incredibly successful for Commercial Baking advertisers and can be a versatile tool for marketing to digital, social mediasavvy retail bakers as well.

EMAIL CAMPAIGNS

Craft to Crumb offers a limited number of Email Marketing Campaigns (EMCs) and Automated Marketing Campaigns (AMCs) exclusively for advertisers that also support Craft to Crumb content.

EMCs are single-send email campaigns while AMCs are campaigns that, after the initial send, follow up with readers who opened, but didn’t act on the first deployment. EMCs and AMCs are efficient ways to make a targeted splash and generate specific awareness and leads from a concentrated audience of decision makers and influencers.

Sponsorable Content

CRUMBCUTS

Interactive, easy-to-digest clips from Craft to Crumb ’s best baker interviews supplement written content. CrumbCuts are the best way for readers to snag quick info on best practices.

BEHIND THE BAKE

These exclusive, behind-the-scenes videos showcase best practices in baking with interviews, bakery tours and more.

CMB STUDY HALL

This series was designed as a resource to help bakers prepare for RBA’s Master Baker Certification. Each video features certified master bakers (CMBs) demonstrating key techniques required for RBA’s practical exam. Videos cover tips and tricks for all major product categories.

Media Mix Promotions

TechTalks

(FULL ANALYTICS AND LEAD GEN INCLUDED)

• Email Campaign (EMC)

• Craft to Crumb homepage for a month

• Craft to Crumb Look | Listen page for a year

• Posted to Craft to Crumb YouTube channel

• Promotion on Craft to Crumb social media platforms

• PAID social media campaign

• Inclusion in a Craft to Crumb Look | Listen newsletter

• Inclusion in Craft to Crumb mini-mag with link

• Custom designed “share kits” provided for client amplification

Sponsorable Content: CrumbCuts | Behind the Bake

(FULL ANALYTICS INCLUDED)

• Craft to Crumb homepage for a month

• Craft to Crumb Look | Listen page for a year

• Posted to Craft to Crumb YouTube channel

• Promotion on Craft to Crumb social media platforms

• Inclusion in a Craft to Crumb Look | Listen newsletter

• Inclusion in Craft to Crumb mini-mag with link

CMB Study Hall

(FULL ANALYTICS INCLUDED)

• Craft to Crumb homepage for a month

• Craft to Crumb Look | Listen page for a year

• Inclusion in a Craft to Crumb Look | Listen newsletter

• Promotion on Craft to Crumb social media platforms

• Email campaign each month to CtC audience and RBA members to announce new episode

• Links to videos from quarterly CtC mini-mags

• RBA and sponsor promotion on all relevant channels

Email Campaigns

(FULL ANALYTICS AND LEAD GEN INCLUDED)

• Email Campaign (EMC)

• Automated Marketing Campaign (AMC)

Mini-Mags

Yearbook Special Edition (Print)

Website

Newsletters

Digital Offerings

CMB