WASHINGTON, DC — The American Bakers Association (ABA) and Retail Bakers of America (RBA) have agreed to a Letter of Intent (LOI) that begins initial discussions on future affiliations as part of a shared mission to strengthen the holistic baking community.
Both associations’ leadership teams entered into an LOI to finalize the details of an affiliate structure designed to protect the interests and values of both ABA and RBA and their respective members across the commercial and retail baking industries.
“It’s a good day for the baking industry,” said Marissa Sertich Velie, RBA’s executive director. “We are excited to continue implementing the strategic goals set by the ABA and RBA boards in this new structure. This will support the 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.”
Each association will be managed and governed separately while working together to identify areas for growth in both baking sectors. The collaboration is expected to 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,” said Eric Dell, ABA’s 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.”
This new strategic relationship will enable both RBA and ABA to deliver enhanced value across the board and identify new opportunities to position the united industries for long-term stability and success.
“The baking industry is deeply ingrained in the fabric of our society,” said 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.”
