How Many Target Bakery Items Are Really Made In-Store?

Target's Favorite Day Bakery goods are irresistible to sweet-toothed shoppers. First launched in 2021, Favorite Day Bakery is a shining star in Target's ever-growing portfolio of in-store brands. But are these popular items created on-site by Target bakers? In most cases, no. Target employees say that very little baking actually happens in-store. 

However, depending on where you live, you might be one of the lucky people who has a bakery inside your Target. Some SuperTarget stores do have an in-store bakery. But this number is very small. There are over 2,000 Target locations in America, but only an estimated 239 locations have an on-site bakery, and that figure is according to an alleged employee on Reddit as the store doesn't state how many there are.

But if your Target has a functional bakery, it will be easy to spot (and smell). The scent of fresh-baked bread is hard to miss, and the store might also offer custom-decorated cakes and other bakery services. Another way to tell is by reading a bakery item's packaging. According to a former Target employee on Reddit, if a product from the Favorite Day line is made in-store, the box will feature a "made in store" message or a "hand-decorated" label. However, not every SuperTarget will bake everything fresh. One Target bakery employee explains on Reddit that their location only bakes bread and cookies, and even then, the dough still arrives premade and frozen. 

The vast majority of Target locations do not have an in-store bakery. So, where do these Favorite Day Bakery items originate? Target doesn't broadly label their distributors on their packaging, but you can check the back of your items for possible clues like "product of Canada." You can also visit Target's website to see a full list of more than 4,500 factories that Target utilizes.

In general, Favorite Day Bakery items ship frozen directly to Target. Once thawed, they're given a sell-by date and put on the shelves. Many corporations follow this same pattern. For example, none of the pastries or baked goods at Starbucks are freshly baked in-store. Instead, they are flash-frozen, shipped, and then defrosted on-site by local employees. 

If you're craving freshly baked treats, don't worry: You can easily make bakery-perfect cookies and pastries at home. These 3-ingredient brownies are proof that home-cooked treats can be effortless and affordable.