Rob Johnson, an Army veteran and Chattanooga Bakery production supervisor, works on the assembly line June 25, 2025. Chattanooga Bakery, known for MoonPies, plans to expand its Patriotic Pies initiative from June 30 to July 4, 2025, matching all MoonPies donated to active duty military members. (Abby White/Chattanooga Times Free Press)
(Tribune News Service) — Chattanooga Bakery has donated MoonPies to active-duty U.S. troops since World War II, but the company is formalizing the gifts with a public matching campaign leading up to Independence Day.
More than 1 million MoonPies of various sizes and flavors roll off conveyor belts at the Manufacturers Road facility every day, and the company wants to share that many pies with service members this year.
To reach the goal, Chattanooga Bakery will match all MoonPies bought for troops between June 30 and July 4 through its “Patriotic Pies” campaign.
The company has already sent more than 1 million of the graham cracker/marshmallow sandwiches to U.S. troops through fundraising campaigns with schools and nonprofits, said Tory Johnston, vice president of sales and marketing at Chattanooga Bakery.
Customers who purchase MoonPies through fundraisers have the option to send the extraterrestrial snacks to troops, and some have even gone to a U.S. Space Force base in Greenland.
This year, the “Patriotic Pies” campaign gives that option directly to the public.
“We really want to invite Chattanoogans and Americans on this most patriotic July 4 week to get involved and to love on our troops,” Johnston said in an interview at the bakery. “It’s a taste of home.”
Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Chattanooga Bakery Tory Johnston speaks during an interview. Chattanooga Bakery, known for MoonPies, plans to expand their Patriotic Pies initiative as of Wednesday, June 25, 2025, allowing customers to donate MoonPies to active duty military members. (Abby White/Chattanooga Times Free Press)
America’s 250th
The fifth-generation family-owned company, founded in 1902, is also planning special packaging for America’s 250th birthday next year.
Special edition MoonPies for the 250th anniversary will go on sale between Memorial Day and July 4 next year to help fulfill the company’s growing goal for military donations.
“You will see Walmart and lots of other retailers appropriately make a huge deal of this,” Johnston said. “It’s America’s 250th, so there’s no telling what the administration will do, what America in general will do, but we just want to be ready to join in that celebration.”
Chattanooga Bakery is partnering with the United Service Organizations and Cookeville, Tennessee-based and veteran-owned trucking company Averitt to ship mini MoonPies to troops.
They come in all 10 flavors, including the most recent addition, the Birthday Party MoonPie with vanilla cookies and sprinkles.
“The USO has provided ‘tastes of home’ to service members for over 80 years, and Chattanooga Bakery has made it easy for everyone to participate in this support,” Lisa Marie Riggins, USO regional president, said in a press release.
Contact Daniel Dassow at ddassow@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.
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