From Top 6 on Amazon to Going Independent (And Back Again): The Baking Steel Journey

In 2019, seven years after launching on Kickstarter, Baking Steel was named a Top 6 Amazon Small Business of the Year out of millions of sellers nationwide. It was a moment of incredible validation. Then, in 2021, we disappeared from Amazon completely. We didn’t come back for three years.

This isn’t just a story about an award. It’s a story about growth, being forced to pivot, and making strategic decisions to build a brand that lasts. Here’s the full journey.

Act 1: The Rise - The Amazon Era (2012-2019)

Like many startups, our journey began with a simple idea and a Kickstarter campaign in 2012. The early days were a whirlwind. We were fueled by the passion of our first backers and a game-changing review from food scientist J. Kenji López-Alt of Serious Eats, who said our Baking Steel “blew his favorite pizza stone out of the water.”

As demand grew, we knew we had to be where the customers were, and at the time, that meant Amazon. The platform became a massive engine for growth, allowing us to reach thousands of homes and introduce a new generation of pizza-makers to the power of steel. We were a small family business, and Amazon helped us play in the big leagues.

"The nomination was covered by Business Insider, alongside other incredible small businesses from across the country. Read the full article 

The culmination of this era came in 2019. We were nominated as an Amazon Small Business of the Year. We were humbled and shocked to finish in the Top 6 out of millions of incredible businesses across the country. It was proof that our crazy idea inspired by a single line in Modernist Cuisine had become a movement.

Act 2: The Great Pivot - Doubling Down on Direct (2021-2024)

Then, in 2020, the world changed. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon’s fulfillment centers prioritized “essential items,” and as a cookware product, we were no longer able to replenish our inventory. Simultaneously, with everyone staying home, more people than ever turned into home bakers. Our production was stretched to its limits just trying to keep up with demand from our own website.

It was an uneasy feeling, but we had no choice. We had to pull the plug on Amazon. It was time to double down on ourselves and our direct-to-consumer brand at BakingSteel.com.

This forced pivot became a blessing in disguise. With our small team’s energy focused entirely on our own platform, we learned what it truly meant to own our customer relationships. We discovered that our customers didn’t just want a product; they craved education. We went from hosting live pizza classes to launching Zoom pizza classes, which we still do today. This direct contact gave us invaluable insights into what home cooks were really after: the knowledge and confidence to make better pizza and bread at home.

Our email list grew, our community tightened, and we built a brand that was more than just a piece of steel—it was a resource for passionate home chefs.

Act 3: The Strategic Return (2024-Present)

By 2024, the world had stabilized, and so had our production. We were approached by agencies that specialized in the Amazon marketplace, asking if we were ready to come back. After some consideration, we knew the time was right. We could now handle the volume, and we had a stronger brand than ever before.

We didn’t return to Amazon because we had to; we returned because we chose to. Amazon is a massive marketplace, and it only made sense to meet customers where they are. We were ready to pull on this lever again for strategic growth, but this time, on our own terms. Our direct-to-consumer business remains the heart of our brand, but our presence on Amazon allows us to reach a wider audience and continue our mission of revolutionizing home pizza making.

Timeline of Our Amazon Journey

2012 - Baking Steel launches on Kickstarter and is endorsed by J. Kenji López-Alt of Serious Eats.

2013 - Featured in Bon Appétit, The Wall Street Journal, and Food & Wine magazine.

2013-2018 - Growth accelerates, with Amazon becoming a key sales channel.

2019 - Nominated as an Amazon Small Business of the Year, finishing in the Top 6 out of millions of U.S. sellers.

2019 - (October 9) - Named a finalist for Amazon Small Business of the Year, finishing in Top 6 out of millions of sellers. Featured in Business Insider.

2021 - Forced to leave Amazon due to COVID-19 fulfillment restrictions and pivot entirely to a direct-to-consumer model.

2021-2024 - Focus on direct customer relationships, email list growth, and educational content, launching popular Zoom pizza classes.

2024 - With stabilized production, strategically return to the Amazon marketplace to expand reach and continue growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Baking Steel leave Amazon in 2021?

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon prioritized “essential items” for fulfillment, and we were unable to replenish our inventory. This, combined with a surge in demand from our own website as more people began baking at home, led us to focus all of our energy on our direct-to-consumer business.

What did you learn from selling directly to consumers?

Focusing on our own platform taught us the immense value of owning the customer relationship. We learned that our customers craved education, which led us to create our popular online pizza classes. This direct feedback loop allowed us to better understand their needs and build a stronger, more resilient brand.

Why did you return to Amazon in 2024?

By 2024, our production had stabilized and we were able to handle increased volume. We decided to return to Amazon as a strategic decision to meet customers where they are and to pull on another lever for growth. Our direct-to-consumer business remains our core, but Amazon allows us to reach a massive audience.

What’s Next

Our journey has been anything but linear, but every pivot has made us stronger. We’re proud to have built a brand that can thrive on its own and strategically leverage platforms like Amazon to grow. It’s never just been about steel. It’s about helping people make pizza they’re proud of—pizza that sparks memories and makes people say, “Wow.” And we’re just getting started.

Want to learn more about the full origin story? Read The Baking Steel Story.

Want to meet the inventor? Meet Andris Lagsdin.

About the Author

Andris Lagsdin is the inventor of the Baking Steel and founder of Baking Steel Company. After working in professional kitchens with celebrated chef Todd English, Andris combined his pizza-making expertise with his family's 40+ years of steel manufacturing experience to create the Baking Steel in 2012. Today, he continues to develop recipes and teach home cooks worldwide how to make incredible pizza at home.