NAICS 311824 Quarterly Industry Report
Dry Pasta, Dough, and Flour Mixes Manufacturing from Purchased Flour
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 311824Sector: 31Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This Fair Market Value industry report for NAICS 311824 provides valuation-focused intelligence for professionals assessing pasta, dough, and flour mix manufacturing businesses. Data is sourced from FDA[6] food standards and labeling regulations, U.S. Additional data is drawn from [Bureau of Labor Statistics[7].. Census Bureau](https://www.census.gov/) manufacturing statistics, and SBA size standards[8] to support business appraisals, acquisition due diligence, lending decisions, and investment analysis for pasta and baking mix enterprises.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the dry pasta, dough, and flour mixes manufacturing from purchased flour industry.
Industry Definition & Overview
Dry Pasta, Dough, and Flour Mixes Manufacturing from Purchased Flour (NAICS 311824) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing dry pasta and prepared flour mixes or dough from flour ground elsewhere, including spaghetti, macaroni, noodles, lasagna sheets, refrigerated and frozen dough products, prepared cake mixes, pancake mixes, biscuit mixes, and other flour-based baking mixes. These manufacturers purchase milled flour and other ingredients, blend or extrude them into finished products, and package them for retail grocery, foodservice, and industrial ingredient distribution. The U.S. Census Bureau[5] classifies this industry separately from flour milling (NAICS 311211), commercial bakeries (NAICS 311812), and tortilla manufacturing (NAICS 311830).
The U.S. dry pasta market generates billions in annual retail sales, with branded and private-label pasta products competing in a mature but steady category. The FDA[6] regulates standards of identity for pasta products, enrichment requirements, labeling, and food safety standards governing manufacturing practices. Consumer demand for specialty pasta (whole wheat, gluten-free, legume-based, organic), premium refrigerated fresh pasta, and convenience baking mixes has expanded the category beyond traditional commodity dry pasta and cake mix segments.
Business valuations for pasta and dough manufacturers focus on production line capacity and extrusion equipment capability, brand portfolio strength, retail distribution breadth, and the balance between branded and private-label contract manufacturing revenue. Appraisers evaluate production throughput per line, ingredient procurement costs (semolina flour, durum wheat), packaging automation, product changeover flexibility across multiple shapes and formats, and the competitive positioning between large national brands and regional specialty producers.
What's Included in This Industry
- Sector-specific valuation multiples and financial benchmarks for dry pasta, dough, and flour mix manufacturing operations
- Revenue and profitability analysis across dry pasta, fresh refrigerated pasta, prepared baking mixes, frozen dough, and specialty product segments
- SBA size standard classification and lending threshold data for NAICS 311824
- Comparable transaction data from recent pasta company acquisitions, baking mix brand sales, and manufacturing facility purchases
- Market analysis covering pasta consumption trends, gluten-free and legume pasta growth, premium fresh pasta demand, and baking mix innovation
- Workforce and labor cost benchmarking for extrusion operators, dough mixers, packaging line workers, quality control staff, and warehouse personnel
- Industry risk assessment including wheat and flour commodity cost volatility, consumer carbohydrate avoidance trends, private-label competition, and import pressure
- Regulatory compliance overview covering FDA standards of identity for pasta, enrichment requirements, labeling rules, and FSMA preventive controls
- Capital expenditure profiles for pasta extruders, drying rooms, mixing and blending systems, dough forming equipment, and packaging lines
- Production metrics including pounds per line hour, pasta drying cycle times, mix blending accuracy, packaging speeds, and cost per unit benchmarks
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Food Manufacturing | 311 |
| Industry Group | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 3118 |
| NAICS Industry | Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing | 31182 |
| National Industry | Dry Pasta, Dough, and Flour Mixes Manufacturing from Purchased Flour | 311824 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 311211 | Flour Milling | Flour milling operations supplying wheat flour, semolina, and durum flour as the primary raw material ingredient for pasta and dough product manufacturing |
| 311812 | Commercial Bakeries | Commercial bakeries purchasing prepared dough and baking mixes from manufacturers for further processing into fresh bread, rolls, and baked goods products |
| 311830 | Tortilla Manufacturing | Tortilla manufacturing operations sharing flour procurement supply chains, dough processing equipment types, and grain-based product retail distribution channels |
| 424410 | General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers | General line grocery merchant wholesalers distributing dry pasta, baking mixes, and dough products from manufacturers to retail grocery and foodservice accounts |
| 445110 | Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) | Supermarkets and grocery retailers stocking dry pasta and baking mix products in center store aisles as core pantry staple consumer grocery items |
| 722511 | Full-Service Restaurants | Full-service restaurants purchasing dry and fresh pasta products from manufacturers and wholesalers for menu preparation and Italian cuisine offerings |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 15.6% | 58 |
| 2 | New York | 8.9% | 33 |
| 3 | Illinois | 6.7% | 25 |
| 4 | New Jersey | 5.4% | 20 |
| 5 | Ohio | 5.4% | 20 |
| 6 | Michigan | 5.1% | 19 |
| 7 | Texas | 4.8% | 18 |
| 8 | Florida | 4.0% | 15 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 3.2% | 12 |
| 10 | Washington | 2.7% | 10 |
% Of Establishments
0%
16%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
SBA Lending Summary
64
Total SBA Loans
$52.5M
Total Loan Volume
$821K
Average Loan Size
12 yrs
Average Loan Term
9.65%
Average Interest Rate
832
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[4]
Key Insight: The SBA[9] classifies Dry Pasta, Dough, and Flour Mixes Manufacturing (NAICS 311824) with a size standard of 1,000 employees. Pasta and baking mix producers within this threshold qualify for SBA-backed lending[10] and government contracting preferences supporting production expansion and brand development. Eligible businesses can access SBA 7(a) loans[11] for working capital, equipment, and acquisition financing, while 504 loans[12] support major fixed-asset purchases including real estate and heavy machinery.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East West Bank | 8 | $18.0M | $2.3M |
| 2 | Regions Bank | 8 | $16.5M | $2.1M |
| 3 | PeoplesBank | 16 | $13.7M | $857K |
| 4 | Harborstone CU | 24 | $3.9M | $162K |
| 5 | DreamSpring | 8 | $426K | $53K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the NAICS code for pasta manufacturing?
Dry Pasta, Dough, and Flour Mixes Manufacturing is classified under NAICS code 311824, covering pasta, dough, and baking mixes per the U.S. Census Bureau[5] industry classification system.
What is the SBA size standard for pasta manufacturing?
The SBA[9] sets the size standard for NAICS 311824 at 1,000 employees, qualifying eligible pasta and mix manufacturers for small business lending programs and government contracting preferences.
How are pasta manufacturing businesses valued?
Valuations focus on extrusion equipment capacity, brand portfolio strength, retail distribution breadth, and private-label manufacturing volume per U.S. Census Bureau[13] manufacturing data.
What products does NAICS 311824 cover?
Products include dry pasta, fresh refrigerated pasta, frozen dough, prepared cake mixes, pancake mixes, and biscuit mixes made from purchased flour per U.S. Census Bureau[5] definitions.
What trends are shaping the pasta market?
Consumer demand for gluten-free, legume-based, whole wheat, and organic pasta varieties along with premium fresh pasta products is expanding the category beyond traditional commodity dry pasta.
What risks affect pasta and mix manufacturers?
Major risks include wheat and semolina flour commodity cost volatility, consumer carbohydrate avoidance trends, private-label pricing pressure, import competition from Italian producers, and retail shelf space.
What regulations apply to pasta manufacturing?
The FDA[6] regulates pasta through standards of identity defining composition, enrichment requirements for vitamins and minerals, labeling rules, and FSMA food safety preventive controls.
How competitive is the dry pasta market?
The dry pasta market features strong branded competition alongside growing private-label share, with specialty and premium segments attracting new producer entry and brand investment.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [5]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [6]FDA fda.gov
- [7]U.S. Additional data is drawn from [Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [8]SBA size standards sba.gov
- [9]SBA sba.gov
- [10]SBA-backed lending sba.gov
- [11]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [12]504 loans sba.gov
- [13]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
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