Franz Family Bakeries
United States Bakery and Franz Family Bakeries began in 1897 when Engelbert Franz, at age 15, wrote to his uncle, who owned the United States Bakery in Portland, Oregon. Engelbert asked his uncle to send him passage to travel from Rothsaifen, Austria to Portland. In return Engelbert would work for his uncle and pay him back. During the eight years Engelbert worked for United States Bakery, he repaid his uncle and also sent for his brother Joseph to join him at the bakery.
In 1906 the two brothers branched out and purchased a small bakery named the Ann Harbor Bakery. In less than two years, their bakery became quite successful and allowed them to strike a deal with their uncle to purchase United States Bakery. United States Bakery was kept as the corporate name and the bakery became known as Franz Bakery.
In 1912 Franz built a bakery at N.E. 11th and Flanders, which is still in operation. Under Engelbert’s leadership through 1954, Franz Bakery evolved into the largest bakery in Portland and one of the most modern bakeries in the country.
Today, Franz owns and operates seven (7) commercial bakeries around the Northwest (Seattle and Spokane, WA; Portland, Springfield, and McMinnville, OR and our most recent purchase in 2010 at Nampa, ID with product distributed to customers across the Northwest via over 90 depots (mini distribution centers) and 55 outlet stores in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Northern California. Products is also air shipped nationwide and to customers in Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific Rim. The combined output of these facilities is over 185 million pounds of bread and dough per year, and millions and millions of pounds of other baked goods (donuts, muffins, buns and rolls). Headquartered in Portland, OR, United States Bakery and Franz Family Bakeries employs almost 3,000 people -- quite an achievement for a small, family-owned business to become a prominent Northwest Company.
