In 1896, an Austrian 15-year-old named Engelbert Franz arrived in Portland, drawn by the promise of work at his uncle’s bakery. Two years later, a brother named Joseph showed up. A third brother, Ignaz, joined the following year. And in 1906, the three went into business together, purchasing a bakery of their own and thus launching the ascent of what we know today as Franz Bakery.

While the company has 11 production bakeries in seven states, its fragrant heart remains its five-block campus in Kerns. The primary output here is buns: numerous varieties for hot dogs and hamburgers, plus mini buns and several types of rolls, packaged under a range of brands. All told, the Portland factory bakes up to a million buns per day—a manufacturing feat that can be witnessed on free factory tours, which are popular field trips for schoolkids (and available for grown-ups, too).

Franz will celebrate its 120th birthday on Tuesday, April 14, with a block party, grilled cheese sandwiches, and hot dogs from 9am to 3pm.

75,000 Loaves baked per day in 1922.

1.5 million Pounds of flour on-site at any given moment.

40,000 Pounds of sesame seeds used per month.

1,200 Cuts made per minute by the dough divider.

2 Length, in football fields, of the so-called bun highway that transports piping hot buns from the oven to the packaging area.

16,800 Maximum number of buns on the highway at any given moment.

22 Minutes that buns spend on the highway.

5,000 Weight, in pounds, of the giant revolving loaf sign, installed in 1956 for Franz’s 50th anniversary.

104 Length, in feet, of a hot dog bun baked in 2006 for Franz’s centenary. It held the Guinness World Record for less than a month, displaced by a 197-foot-long bun made for the 50th anniversary of the All-Japan Bread Association in Shizuoka, Japan.

145 Tour requests from schools in the 2025–2026 school year.

4,263 Expected visitor count from September 2025 to June 2026.

38 Number of delivery trucks operated by the bakery in 1924.

1,100 Vehicles in the Franz fleet today.