Franz Bakery
American bakery chain
title: "Franz Bakery" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["manufacturing-companies-based-in-portland,-oregon", "bakeries-of-oregon", "food-and-drink-companies-established-in-1906", "food-and-drink-companies-based-in-portland,-oregon", "privately-held-companies-based-in-oregon", "1906-establishments-in-oregon"] description: "American bakery chain" topic_path: "general/manufacturing-companies-based-in-portland-oregon" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Bakery" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American bakery chain ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | United States Bakery |
| logo | Franz logo copy.png |
| type | Private |
| foundation | |
| founders | Engelbert Franz |
| Joe Franz | |
| location | Portland, Oregon U.S. |
| industry | Food processing |
| homepage | franzbakery.com |
| :: |
| name = United States Bakery | logo = Franz logo copy.png | type =Private | foundation = | founders = Engelbert Franz Joe Franz | location = Portland, Oregon U.S. | industry = Food processing | homepage = franzbakery.com
United States Bakery, better known as Franz Family Bakeries, is a bread and pastry manufacturer headquartered in Portland, Oregon, United States. Franz Bakery was founded in 1906. U.S. Bakery also owns the Northwest regional bread brands **Williams'''', Gai's, and **Snyder's'''.
History
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Williams_Bakery_Delivery_Wagon.jpg" caption="A delivery wagon painted to look like the wagons at Williams' Bakery"] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Franz_Delivery_Truck.JPG" caption="A Franz Bakery truck in Seattle"] ::
In collaboration with Engelbert Franz of Franz Bakery, W.P. Yaw of Yaw's Top Notch Restaurant invented the 5 in diameter hamburger bun in the late 1920s. Though others are credited with creating a bread product to use for the first hamburgers known to the world, Franz is credited for inventing the hamburger bun in its current worldwide accepted form.
Acquisitions
United States Bakery has a long history of growth through acquisition.
::data[format=table]
| Date | Company |
|---|---|
| Ann Arbor Bakery, Portland Oregon | |
| United States Bakery (namesake), Portland Oregon | |
| Buttercup Bakery, Gresham Oregon | |
| Pioneer Bakery, Bend Oregon | |
| Snyder's Bakery, Yakima Washington | |
| Langendorf Bakery, Portland Oregon | |
| Smith Bakery, Salem Oregon | |
| Boge Bakery, Spokane Washington | |
| Williams' Bakery, Eugene Oregon | |
| Smith Cookie Company, McMinnville Oregon | |
| Gai's Bakery, Seattle Washington | |
| Harvest Classic Bakery, Nampa Idaho | |
| Sweetheart, Eddy's, Standish Farms, and Grandma Emilie's brands from Hostess Brands | |
| United Grocers bakery facility, Los Angeles, California | |
| Rocky Mountain Bread Company and Dunford Bakers, Salt Lake City, Utah | |
| Svenhards Swedish Baker, Exeter, California | |
| 2021 | Love's Bakery, Honolulu, Hawaii |
| :: |
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Franz_Bakery_Outlet_in_Gillette,_Wyoming.jpg" caption="A Franz Bakery Outlet in [[Gillette, Wyoming"] ::
In 2006, the Williams' factory, which had operated on the same site near the University of Oregon (UO) since 1908, was closed and the site sold to UO, which eventually built its current basketball venue, Matthew Knight Arena at that location. Williams' relocated to a new plant in the Glenwood area of neighboring Springfield.
In 2013, United States Bakery paid $28.85 million for Hostess' Sweetheart, Eddy's, Standish Farms, and Grandma Emilie's brands.
Guinness World Record
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/LongestHotDog1.jpg" caption="abbr=on}} long in front of Franz Bakery at NE 12th and Flanders in Portland"] ::
In July 2006, Franz baked a hot dog bun 104 ft long, breaking the Guinness World Record for the World's longest hot dog. The previous record was just over 57 ft and set in 2005.
References
References
- Mayfield, Mitch. "Cruisin' Yaw's". Historical Highlights of Hollywood: [[Portland State University]] students and [[Multnomah County Library]].
- "10 fun facts about Franz Bakery: It holds Guinness World Record for longest hot dog bun". Spokesman.com.
- "Franz Timeline".
- Solomon, Christopher. (February 25, 1997). "Gai's Bakery Sold To Firm In Portland". The Seattle Times.
- Bolt, Greg. (November 10, 2007). "State board approves UO arena plan".
- Welch, Bob. (September 21, 2006). "Campus missing that bakery bliss". [[Register-Guard]] (via goliath.ecnext.com).
- (August 28, 2006). "Franz Family Bakeries Opens New Bakery in Springfield". United States Bakery (press release).
- "Stock Market & Financial Investment News". The fly on the Wall.
- KGW Staff. (July 7, 2006). "104-foot giant hot dog displayed in Pioneer Square". KGW.
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