If you love to bake but are sick of getting your supplies from Amazon, Michaels, or other companies, I have alternatives for you 😁
Pastry and baking equipment (i.e. pans, molds, etc), tools, decorations, colorings, fondant, chocolate-making, and I’m pretty sure almost any type of baking item you would need – even sugar, since the owners of Domino sugar and other brands are nottttt great. If you need kitchen tools in general, check out my previous article.
Local: Depending on where you live you might not have a ton of local options for decorating supplies specifically, but local restaurant supply stores will have at least the baking equipment you may need if not the ingredients and decorations.
Direct: If you have a particular baking company you love, see if you can order directly from their website.
Secondhand/free: If you need bakeware or other equipment, definitely check out your local thrift store! Estate sales are also great places to get baking items, you can find your local one through EstateSales.net or EstateSales.org. You can also use your local Buy Nothing Group for free equipment and supplies via Facebook groups or their website.
J. Pepe and Emilia Fanjul own the ASR Group, a sugar conglomerate accused of slave labor conditions which led to a ban on their imports under Biden. However, Trump lifted the ban earlier this year – likely because the Fanjuls have given $3 million to Trump since 2016. ASR Group owns Domino, Florida Crystals, C&H Sugar, and other sugar brands.
Sugar Alternatives: None of these are that great, but sometimes it’s a matter of degrees.
Michigan Sugar Company: Grower-owned cooperative since 2002, and does not have an organization profile on OpenSecrets. However, Michigan Sugar Company has a PAC – which spent 52% ($293K) on Democratic candidates and 48% ($232K) on Republican candidates in the 2024 elections. While I don’t love that they spent money with Republicans or that they even have a PAC, they’re at least grower-owned and not totally in bed with the Trump administration like the Fanjuls.
Brands: Pioneer Sugar
Western Sugar Company: Grower-owned cooperative. While the Western Sugar Company has not spent money on lobbying in the last two years, they also have a PAC. In 2024 their PAC contributed 58% to Democrats ($132K) and 41% to Republicans ($93K).
Brands: GW Sugar
American Crystal Sugar Company: Another grower-owned cooperative. They have spent $6 million on lobbying in the last two years and they also have their own PAC. Their PAC spent another $2.8M on candidates in the 2024 elections, 54% to Democrats ($1.5M) and 46% to Republicans ($1.3M). American Crystal Sugar has spent a ton of money on lobbying and have their own PAC to boot, so not my favorite but again at least they aren’t donating to Trump directly.
Brands: Crystal Sugar
King Arthur: Expansive baking offering focused on flours and ingredients with bakeware and kitchen tools as well.
The Details: 100% Employee-owned since 2004 and a certified B corp. King Arthur does not have a profile on Open Secrets. King Arthur supports belonging.
What they have: Sprinkles, decorative sugar, chocolate & other chips for cookies, cookie cutters, stamps, & sets, pastry bags & tips, natural food colorings, plant-based food colorings, cookie sheets, mats, and scoopers, meringue powder (note: out of stock online, but may be able to find it in-store). If you’re gluten-free, their mixes are generally pretty good. My Celiac mom just made the brownie mix a couple days ago and they were incredibly good brownies.
Where to shop: You can shop their full offering online, they ship across the US and US territories though they do not ship internationally. Most major grocery stores carry their products, though individual item availability will vary.
Bob’s Red Mill: Specializes in flours and baking mixes with gluten-free offerings.
The Details: 100% Employee-owned since 2010 and supports DEI. Bob’s Red Mill does not have a profile on Open Secrets.
Where to shop: You can’t order online, but you can use their store locator to find a retailer that sells them near you. Generally most grocery stores carry them, though selection will vary.
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Country Kitchen SweetArt: Almost anything you could need for baking & decorating including food coloring, icing ingredients like meringue power, and tons of chocolate and sprinkle options.
The Details: Family-owned and founded in 1964. Country Kitchen SweetArt does not have a profile on OpenSecrets, nor a public diversity policy which is common for smaller companies.
What they have: Beyond expansive decorating options, they also have bakeware, assembly and display items, packaging and boxes,
Where to shop: Online, they ship across the US, or in-store at their one location in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They do not offer international shipping.
Evil Cake Genius: If you’re looking for baking decorative supplies or are more of a chocolate/candy maker, Evil Cake Genius might be for you!
The Details: Woman-founded and owned by Robin Martin, the Evil Cake Genius herself. Evil Cake Genius does not have a profile on OpenSecrets nor a diversity policy, which is common for small businesses.
What they have: Holiday cookie & chocolate making supplies, boxes and packaging. They also have kits and stenciling tutorials and helpful how-to videos.
Where to shop: Online, they ship across the US including Alaska, Hawaii, and APO/FPO addresses. Evil Cake Genius also ships internationally.
Pastry Depot: Edible cookie & pastry components like chocolate, decor, flavorings, and helpful supplies like boxes and tools.
The Details: Woman-founded and owned by Frances Coffey. The Pastry Depot does not have a profile on OpenSecrets or a public diversity policy, but based on their About page their entire small team is made up of women which is cool.
Where to shop: Online, they ship across the US including Alaska & Hawaii, and do not offer international shipping. You can also visit them in-person at their one location in Atlanta, GA.
Layer Cake Shop: Loads of fun decorations, including plant-based nonpareils, sprinkles, and more.
The Details: Woman-founded and and owned by Greta Andersen. Layer Cake Shop does not have a profile on OpenSecrets or a public diversity policy, but they’re a fairly small company.
What they have: Beyond decorations they also have packaging & boxes, cookie cutters, and other accessories and tools.
Where to shop: Online, they ship across the US and internationally.
Surfas: Baking decorations and ingredients in a variety of colors and including specialty items.
The Details: Family owned and operated since 1937, and they do not have a profile on Open Secrets or a public diversity policy.
What they have: Baking decorations with tons of options for food coloring, sprinkles, jimmies, & decorative sugar.
Where to shop: Online or at their locations in Los Angeles and Hot Springs, Arkansas. They ship across the US, but do not offer international shipping.
Chef Rubber: Creates high-end baking and chocolate-making supplies and equipment, with specialty ingredients and vibrant coloring options.
The Details: Founded and owned by Crystal Mier and Paul Edward. Chef Rubber does not have a profile on OpenSecrets nor a public diversity policy.
What they have: Colorants, flavorings, fondant power and sugar, tools & equipment and more. Note – depending on the product they may only have it in bulk, but from looking through it seems like most products have non-bulk options as well.
Where to shop: Online, and they offer shipping across the US and worldwide.
NY Cake: If you’re looking for fondant & similar items, check out NY Cake.
The Details: Family founded and owned by Joan, Lisa, & Jenny Mansour.
What they have: Loads of fondant and gum paste options, chocolate & candy supplies, decorations & food colorings, baking tools & equipment, cake boxes, and more.
Where to shop: Online, or visit one of their two locations in NYC. They ship across the US & internationally.
Vanilla Food Company: Canadian purveyor of high-quality ingredients and supplies for baking, pastries, chocolate/candy making and more.
The Details: Owned by Michelle Chow. Vanilla Food Company does not have a profile on OpenSecrets, and do not have a public diversity policy.
What they have: Vanilla, chocolate, flavorings, colorings, decorating items, and more.
Where to shop: Online, they ship to Canada and the US, but there is a flat fee of $17 for US orders.
Lion’s Deal: Affordable restaurant equipment purveyor.
The Details: I can’t find much on their ownership, but it does not seem to be owned by another company or private equity. They do not have a profile on OpenSecrets nor a diversity policy, which is common for smaller companies.
What they have: Bakeware, baking supplies, baking displays and covers
Where to shop: Online, they ship across the US & internationally
Webstaurant: Online restaurant supply store that’s also open to the public.
The Details: Owned by Clark Associates, which in turn is owned by father and son billionaire duo Fred & Gene Clark. Neither Webstaurant nor Clark Associates have a profile on OpenSecrets. Webstaurant does not have a diversity policy, but they do have a $5,000 diversity scholarship annual program.
What they have: Baking equipment & supplies. They have sprinkles, food colorings and flavorings, and other edible baking supplies, but they tend to be in bulk since it’s a restaurant supply store.
Where to shop: Online, they ship across the US including Alaska & Hawaii. No international shipping.
JB Prince: Curated yet extensive offering of pastry tools, chefware, and other cooking and baking equipment.
The Details: Founded by Judith Prince in 1977 and I believe still owned by her and her husband today. JB Prince does not have a profile on OpenSecrets.
What they have: Pastry and chocolate tools and equipment, and a wide variety of other cooking equipment, tools, and utensils.
Where to shop: Online, they ship across the US including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as internationally. You can also visit their store in New York City.
Wilton: They have removed direct online ordering from their website and now direct you to Amazon, Walmart, or Target which isn’t great. But you can use their store locator function to see if there’s a local shop near you that stocks their stuff.
The Details: Owned by Dr. Oetker, a German privately-held company. Neither firm has a profile on OpenSecrets. Dr. Oetker supports diversity & inclusion.
What they have: Baking tools, accessories, and decorations including boxes, and bakeware.
Bake Deco: It seems like Bake Deco/Kerekes is still privately held, but it has received investment capital from Whitestone International Group, a private equity firm.
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