NAICS 311811

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments to produce comparable economic statistics across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and adopted in 1997 to replace the SIC system, NAICS is revised on a five-year cycle; the current vintage is 2022. ¹
NAICS 311811 defines “Retail Bakeries” as establishments primarily engaged in retailing bread and other bakery products not for immediate consumption, made on the premises from flour (not from prepared dough). The definition distinguishes these operations from commercial manufacturers, quick-service cafés, and stores that only resell baked goods produced elsewhere. ²

What this NAICS covers

• On-premises production from flour and retail sale of breads and rolls for off-site consumption. ²
• Retailing of cakes, pies, doughnuts, muffins, pastries, and similar items made on the premises, sold not for immediate consumption. ²
• Scratch baking and finishing processes (mixing, proofing, baking, icing) performed on site rather than using prepared dough. ²
• Packaging of on-premises baked goods for takeaway, including whole loaves and multi-pack items. ²
• Retail transactions conducted at the production site (e.g., storefront counters attached to the bake room). ²
• Custom or special-order baked goods produced on premises and delivered/picked up for later consumption: Not specified by official sources. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	311812	Commercial Bakeries (manufacturing fresh and frozen bread/rolls and other fresh bakery products) 2
NAICS	311821	Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing 2
NAICS	445291	Baked Goods Stores (retailing baked goods not made on premises) 3
PSC	8920	Bakery and Cereal Products (subsistence supply classification) 5

Cross-industry boundaries and exclusions

• Preparing and selling baked goods for immediate consumption (e.g., bakery cafés, snack and beverage bars) is classified under NAICS 722213. ²
• Retailing baked goods not for immediate consumption that are made elsewhere (no on-premises baking) falls under NAICS 445291. ³
• Manufacturing cookies and crackers is assigned to NAICS 311821, not retail bakeries. ²
• Manufacturing fresh or frozen breads and other fresh bakery products at scale is NAICS 311812. ²

Frequently asked questions

• What qualifies an establishment for NAICS 311811?
  Establishments must primarily retail bread and other bakery items not for immediate consumption, produced on the premises from flour rather than prepared dough. If products are for immediate consumption or made elsewhere, different NAICS codes apply. ²

• How is NAICS 311811 different from 311812?
  NAICS 311811 covers retail-oriented, on-premises scratch baking for take-home consumption. NAICS 311812 covers manufacturing of fresh or frozen bread and other fresh bakery products, typically for distribution to retailers or foodservice. ²

• Are café-style bakeries with seating included in 311811?
  If the primary activity is preparing and selling items for immediate consumption (e.g., seating, café service), classification generally shifts to NAICS 722213. Retailing for later consumption made on site aligns with 311811. ²

• Where are baked-goods retail stores that don’t bake on site classified?
  Stores that retail baked goods for later consumption but do not produce them on premises are classified under NAICS 445291 (Baked Goods Stores). ³

• What NAICS vintage is used for current Census economic statistics?
  Census programs are transitioning to, and publishing detailed industry statistics on, the 2022 NAICS vintage according to a published timeline; most programs adopt by the end of 2027, with some exceptions noted. ⁴

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 311811
• U.S. Census: 2017 NAICS Manual (official definition and history). ¹
• U.S. Census: Manufacturing sector descriptions, including NAICS 311811 cross-references. ²
• U.S. Census: Retail Trade sector references, including NAICS 445291. ³
• U.S. Census: Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline and adoption). ⁴

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Manual. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2017/econ/2017-naics-manual.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Sector 31–33 (Manufacturing) archive page with NAICS 311811 definition and cross-references. https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Sector 44–45 (Retail Trade) archive page with NAICS 445291 and cross-references. https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect44-45.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau — The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline). https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
5. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual (current repository). https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual/all