Original Sunshine

Original Sunshine is a Los Angeles-based gluten-free baking company that produces bagels, sourdough breads and other baked goods, as well as a retail gluten-free flour sold in 2 lb (32 oz) bags. The product line is built on a gluten-free, wheat-starch-based flour developed by co-founder Brad, which the company positions as delivering the texture and flavor of conventional wheat baked goods rather than the rice flour, potato starch and tapioca formulations common in gluten-free products. Products are marketed as gluten-free, non-GMO, glyphosate-free, clean label, vegan and made without seed oils, with ingredients described as rooted in regenerative farming.

All products are manufactured at the company's own dedicated Los Angeles facility, which it states is free of cross-contamination from gluten, dairy, nuts, fish and soy, and is Certified Gluten-Free and FDA-registered. Distribution spans wholesale accounts and consumer channels: the company lists more than 300 bagel shops, cafes, delis, restaurants and markets across the United States, including Russ & Daughters, Kossars, Black Seed Bagels, Utopia Bagels, Tompkins Square Bagels, Boichik Bagels, Wise Sons, Spread Bagelry, Erewhon, Baldor Specialty Foods, Wexler's Deli and Layla Bagels. A co-branded product, Original Sunshine X Utopia Gluten Free Bagels, is sold in plain and everything varieties through FreshDirect, and products are also available through the subscription bakery service Wildgrain. The company additionally sells branded caps priced at $30.

Founding story

Co-founder David has described meeting co-founder Brad at a July 4th barbecue after a health scare treated at the Cleveland Clinic led him to leave his job and pursue work in food. Brad, who co-founded the pizza chain Blaze Pizza, was cooking at the gathering; the two stayed in touch for roughly nine years until Brad developed the gluten-free wheat-starch-based flour that became the foundation of the product. The business started in mid-2022. After finding that chefs during COVID lacked time to bake with the flour and instead wanted a finished gluten-free item they could put on menus, the founders began sharing Brad's bagels directly with foodservice operators, which opened the wholesale channel starting in New York.

Business model

The company manufactures gluten-free baked goods in its own facility and sells them wholesale to bagel shops, cafes, delis, restaurants, hotels and markets, alongside a distributor relationship (Baldor Specialty Foods). It also sells direct and through third-party consumer channels, including FreshDirect for a co-branded bagel four-pack, Wildgrain, and its own online shop for flour and branded apparel.

Revenue comes from product sales: wholesale baked goods to foodservice and retail accounts, packaged bagels sold through online grocery and subscription partners, retail gluten-free flour, and branded merchandise such as $30 caps.

Traction

The company states its gluten-free bagels are carried at over 300 bagel shops, cafes, delis and restaurants across the United States, from New York City to Los Angeles, with named accounts including Russ & Daughters, Kossars, Black Seed Bagels, Utopia Bagels, Boichik Bagels, Wise Sons, Erewhon and Baldor Specialty Foods. Products are also distributed via FreshDirect and Wildgrain.

Latest developments

In October 2025 co-founders Brad and David appeared on The Pitch podcast (Season 14, Episode 2), where they said they were raising $1 million and presented to investors Charles Hudson (Precursor Ventures), Elizabeth Yin (Hustle Fund), Jesse Middleton (Flybridge) and Dawn Dobras (Capital F). The company has also announced availability on Wildgrain and a co-branded bagel with Utopia Bagels sold via FreshDirect.