Crown Bakeries & MARQ Benefits
From Runaway Costs to Industry-Leading Health Plan Savings
How a fast-growing national baking leader achieved a 30% healthcare cost reductionwhile enhancing employee benefits and satisfaction
Company Overview
Crown Bakeries
Founded in Tennessee and now with locations nationwide across Tennessee, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and South Dakota. A fast-growing national baking leader producing millions of fresh products daily for retail and foodservice giants.
Business Impact
The Challenge
By 2020, Crown Bakeries was trapped in a cycle of escalating healthcare costs and employee dissatisfaction
"We were always reacting—never sure what our renewal would bring, how to control costs, or how to keep our plan competitive for our people."
Employee health plan costs were averaging 8–14% increases year-over-year, despite changing carriers and experimenting with "level funded" plans.
Rising costs were often pushed onto employees, souring morale and engagement across the organization.
Stuck in a cycle of disruptive renewals, leaving both associates and the CFO's office feeling frustrated, confused, and out of options.
The Solution: Partnership with MARQ Benefits
Crown Bakeries turned to MARQ Benefits for a strategic overhaul focused on real, lasting savings—without watering down their plan
Free visits and prescriptions for employees, cutting both out-of-pocket and catastrophic medical costs.
Lowered reinsurance premiums and stabilized costs through group purchasing power, providing predictable cost control.
Employees received white-glove help navigating care, reducing confusion and boosting satisfaction with their benefits.
Leveraged real-time claims data to remove waste, direct employees to cost-efficient choices, and progressively improve offerings based on actual population health needs.
Boldly negotiated for hospital/provider rates, yielding aggressive, sustainable savings through strategic partnerships.
Daily claims visibility and real-time support enabled proactive problem-solving before issues could escalate.
"Instead of blind cost-shifting and plan confusion, we built a flexible, transparent program that grew stronger every year. With daily visibility into claims and real-time support, we solved problems before they grew."
The Results: Radical Savings & Employee Loyalty
Transformative results that exceeded expectations and set new industry benchmarks
Cut total health plan spend from $3.2M to $2.2M
Even after years of failed attempts and high-cost carriers
- Over $1M in annual savings achieved
- Costs dropped from $3.2M → $2.2M → $1.6M
- Enhanced cash flow through smart plan design
- Predictable cost control replacing chaos
- 4 years of frozen employee premiums
- Near-site clinics demanded at multiple locations
- White-glove concierge support
- All savings reinvested in better benefits
Employee Impact: Turning Skeptics into Advocates
Real Employee Success Story
One story stands out—a long-loyal accountant unwilling to try a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). After eventually switching, she found her prescription costs dropped from $50 (old PPO) to just $10, all thanks to manufacturer discounts and smarter plan incentives. It was only by making the leap that she realized how much old habits were costing her.
"This is what happens when finance and HR embrace evidence. Fear fades, opportunity emerges, and everybody wins."
— Crown Bakeries HR Team
Cordia Harrington
CEO/Founder, Crown Bakeries
"He has saved Crown over a million annually while stabilizing employee shared cost and keeping a strong plan."
Lessons & Takeaways
Ready for Sustainable Savings?
If your company is stuck in a cycle of rising costs, legacy carriers, and band-aid fixes, Crown Bakeries' journey with MARQ Benefits proves there's a better way—one where aggressive savings, unbeatable plan flexibility, and a winning employee experience all go hand-in-hand.