Top Yeast Brands: Rise to the Occasion with These Favorites

Yeast is an essential ingredient in baking, contributing significantly to the taste, texture, and rise of various baked goods. With an abundance of yeast brands available on the market, choosing the right one can be daunting for both home bakers and professionals alike. Whether you're crafting homemade bread, pizza dough, or experimenting with new recipes, selecting a high-quality yeast can make all the difference. For a comprehensive guide on the best yeast brands to elevate your baking experience, read on below.

Illustration of yeast

Best brands of yeast in 2025

Red Star

Red Star, a brand established in the late 1800s, is a trusted producer of high-quality yeast, offering various options including active dry, quick-rise instant, and organic varieties, with a single packet capable of raising up to 4 cups of flour, and they supply a large 2 pound package for commercial and home use. Lesaffre acquired Red Star in 2001, ensuring their products continue to meet the needs of bakers globally with a 2 year shelf life unopened for 1-2 lb. packages, with their active dry yeast having a gassing power between 110-130. Red Star yeast is also a popular choice for home distillers as it can achieve 8% potential in mashes and washes, and some strains are even capable of fermenting over 18%.

Fleischmann's

Fleischmann's, established in 1868, is a renowned American brand of yeast, initially founded by the Fleischmann brothers, that revolutionized baking with its first commercially produced yeast; now owned by Associated British Foods, it offers various forms of yeast, including active dry and instant, for both consumers and industrial markets in the US and Canada. Their yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is known for its uniformity, hardiness, and stability and is also used in mutated strains in the brewing industry, sometimes reaching 13-14% ABV when treated properly. You can learn more about their products by visiting their official website.

SAF Instant

SAF Instant, a brand by Lesaffre, is a leading global producer of instant dry yeast, first introduced in 1973, with their red label yeast being ideal for doughs with up to 12% sugar, and the gold label for sweeter doughs with 3-30% sugar, and is recognized as the #1 selling yeast worldwide. It requires no pre-dissolving and offers consistent results for a variety of baked goods. For more details, visit their official website.

Bob's Red Mill

Bob's Red Mill, founded in 1978, is a well-regarded producer of active dry yeast, known for its consistent quality and reliable performance in various baked goods, including gluten-free options, ensuring a perfect rise every time with a premium quality product that is used by professional bakers. Their yeast is available in convenient, resealable 8-ounce packages, maintaining freshness for months when refrigerated, with each 1/4 teaspoon serving containing only 5 calories. They also offer nutritional yeast with 8 grams of protein per serving and is a good source of vitamin B-12. Their active dry yeast is made from specially cultured fresh yeast, then pressed, dried, and dehydrated to maintain its strong fermentation ability.

Lesaffre

Lesaffre, founded in 1853, is a French company and the world's largest producer of yeast, with 1 out of 3 pieces of bread being made with their yeast. They have 80 industrial facilities globally, producing thousands of tons of yeast daily, and their instant dry yeast, launched in 1973, increased fermentation power by 30-40% and is used by both professionals and amateurs. Lesaffre also acquired a 70% stake in Biorigin in October 2024, expanding their offerings in yeast-derived products. To learn more about their innovative yeast solutions, visit Lesaffre's official website.

Dr. Oetker

Dr. Oetker, a brand established in 1891, is a well-known producer of high-quality yeast, offering both dry and instant varieties that are suitable for various baking needs, ensuring consistent results and reliable rise, with one 7 gram sachet of dry yeast being sufficient for 500 grams of flour, and their instant yeast can be added directly to dry ingredients, eliminating the need to dissolve it in liquid. Although the company initially offered packaged yeast only for two years, it re-emerged in the product assortment in 1968, and in 2023, Newlat Food acquired the Dr. Oetker Alsa Yeast Production Plant located in Ludres, continuing the brand's commitment to quality.

Hodgson Mill

Hodgson Mill, a trusted brand since 1882, produces reliable and effective yeast, with their packets containing 25% more yeast than other brands, making them ideal for baking, especially with whole grains. They offer both active dry and fast-rise options, which can be used in bread machines or when baking by hand, all while being produced in a peanut/tree nut free environment.

King Arthur Baking Company

King Arthur Baking Company, established in 1790, is a leading American supplier of baking ingredients, including high-quality yeast, and they have been a trusted source for bakers for over 200 years. Their instant yeast has been a staple in their test kitchen and bakery for over 20 years, ensuring consistent and reliable results in a variety of recipes. It is recommended to store yeast in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a year for optimal freshness. You can find their products on their official website: King Arthur Baking.

Mauripan

Mauripan, a brand with a heritage tracing back to 1868 through its parent company AB Mauri, is a globally recognized producer of yeast, offering both high and low sugar instant dry yeast. With a significant market share in countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and India, which collectively consume 51% of its exports, Mauripan is known for its consistent quality and reliability for both home and commercial bakers. AB Mauri, the parent company, operates in over 50 locations worldwide, producing various types of yeast including bakers, distillers, and bioethanol yeast, with their dried yeast products having a shelf life of up to 2 years. They are constantly innovating, with a recent launch of an organic baker's yeast that reduces acrylamide in baked goods, and have a commitment to sustainability, reflected in their high-tech treatment facilities.

Lallemand

Lallemand, a global leader in yeast production, with 100 years of experience since starting in Montreal in 1923, operates 24 yeast production facilities worldwide and offers a diverse range of yeast and bacteria for baking, brewing, wine, and animal nutrition, employing over 5,000 people across 50 countries, and is committed to high-quality, innovative fermentation solutions. For more information, you can visit their website.