The American Bakers Association (ABA) and Retail Bakers of America (RBA) have agreed to a Letter of Intent (LOI) that begins affiliation discussions as part of their shared mission to strengthen the baking industry.  

In support of ABA and RBA’s shared strategic goals of furthering industry growth, their respective executive leadership entered into an LOI to finalize details of an affiliate structure between the two associations. This affiliation will protect the unique value of both organizations for their respective members, with each association continuing to be managed and governed separately, while identifying opportunities to create synergies that grow both the commercial and retail baking sectors. The expectation is that this would be finalized in Q2 2026.   

“This will build upon RBA’s already close working relationship with ABA and strengthen our  respective membership value propositions and organizational structures in support of each association’s strategic plans,” says Eric Dell, ABA President and CEO. “This will provide RBA with operational efficiencies and support as well as create a unified voice with ABA on advocacy issues important to the baking industry. I’m most excited about the ability to keep RBA’s unique and valuable brand identity while also providing increased membership engagement and value for RBA members.”  

“It’s a good day for the baking industry. We are excited to continue implementing the strategic goals set by the ABA and RBA boards in this new structure,” says Marissa Sertich Velie, RBA executive director. “This will support growth of both the retail and commercial baking sectors by bringing both organizations closer and using the broader industry’s resources more strategically and efficiently. Specifically, this will strengthen advocacy work on behalf of the industry, which is more important now than ever. In short, this is solely about supporting and growing the baking industry.”  

This new strategic relationship will allow both RBA and ABA to aim to deliver enhanced value propositions for their respective memberships and identify new opportunities to position the retail and commercial baking sectors for long-term growth and success.   

“By aligning our strengths while preserving RBA’s respected brand and expertise, we continue to elevate the service to our members, amplify the industry’s collective advocacy, and accelerate our shared mission to grow and advance the entire baking community,” says Bill Quigg, ABA chair and president of Richmond Baking. “Together, we bolster these two organizations to be even more connected, efficient, and impactful.”  

“The baking industry is deeply ingrained in the fabric of our society,” says Amie Smith, RBA president and owner of AMIE Bakery. “Independently, RBA and ABA bring significant value to their members, but together that value increases exponentially and helps drive the changes our industry needs. RBA provides a unique education component to the baking business and deep insight into issues impacting both large-scale commercial bakers and small retail bakeries across the nation, while ABA serves as a powerful conduit for advocacy to help the baking industry thrive. Each organization’s strengths complement the other, and by joining forces, our industry is poised for growth.”  

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