How a Bakery Sold at 15x EBITDA with Recipe IP

Episode 48 of The Buyer & Seller Podcast dives into the sale of Sweet Rise Artisan Bakery, a regional bakery chain that sold for 15 times EBITDA by turning its recipes and processes into defensible intellectual property. Lucas breaks down how the owner, Maria Contreras, documented every recipe with precise measurements and temperatures, trademarked the brand name and product names, and secured trade secret protection for her sourdough starter process. Luna questions whether this approach works for every bakery and highlights that the buyer was a private equity firm looking to roll up artisan bakeries nationwide. The episode covers the specific due diligence items the buyer focused on, how the IP was valued at $1.2 million, and why the multiple was 50 percent above the industry average. Lucas and Luna also discuss the costs involved—$40,000 in legal fees—and the key lesson for any small business owner: treat your unique knowledge as a tangible asset. #SweetRiseArtisanBakery #MariaContreras #RecipeIP #TradeSecret #Trademark #BusinessValuation #EBITDAMultiple #PrivateEquity #ArtisanBakery #RollUpStrategy #SmallBusinessExit #IPStrategy #DueDiligence #BusinessBrokers #BusinessPodcast #FexingoBusiness #BuyerAndSeller #ExitPlanning Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo