Wonder Bread facts for kids
The logo of Wonder Bread.
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| Owner | Flowers Foods |
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| Introduced | May 21, 1921 |
| Markets | United States |
| Previous owners | Taggart Baking Company (1921–1925) Continental Baking Company (1925–1995) Interstate Bakeries Corporation (1995–2012) |
Wonder Bread is a famous American brand of sliced bread. It started in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1921. By 1930, it was one of the first companies to sell sliced bread all across the country! Today, Flowers Foods owns the brand in the United States.
Contents
The Story of Wonder Bread
How Wonder Bread Got Started
The Taggart Baking Company in Indianapolis, Indiana, first made Wonder Bread. It came out on May 21, 1921. Before it launched, ads just said a "Wonder" was coming on that date.
Elmer Cline, who worked on marketing, named the brand. He was inspired by an International Balloon Race. It took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Cline felt "wonder" seeing hundreds of colorful balloons. This is why the Wonder Bread logo has red, yellow, and blue balloons! A commercial artist named Drew Miller designed the logo.
Becoming a National Brand
In 1925, the Continental Baking Company bought Taggart. This helped Wonder Bread become a brand sold all over the country. They added "It's Slo Baked" to the logo.
In the 1930s, Continental Baking started selling Wonder Bread already sliced. This was a big deal for the food industry. At first, people worried that "wonder-cut" bread would dry out too fast. But it became very popular!
During World War II, bread was not sliced for a short time in 1943. This was an industry-wide rule. But bread slicers came back just two months later.
Adding Vitamins and Nutrition
In the 1940s, Wonder Bread started adding vitamins and minerals. This was part of a government plan to make white bread healthier. White bread often lacked important nutrients. Wonder Bread was also the first national bread brand to show "open dating" and nutrition facts on its packages.
In the 1950s, Wonder Bread advertised its added nutrients even more. They sponsored the TV show Howdy Doody. The host, Buffalo Bob Smith, would tell viewers, "Wonder Bread builds strong bodies 8 ways!" This meant it had eight added nutrients. By the 1960s, the slogan changed to "Helps build strong bodies 12 ways."
In 1986, Continental Baking also introduced Wonder Light bread. This was a lower-calorie option.
Changes in Ownership
Interstate Bakeries Corporation bought Continental Baking in 1995. In 2004, Interstate Bakeries faced money problems. This made people wonder about the future of Wonder Bread. But in 2009, Interstate Bakeries came out of bankruptcy. This was a "new beginning" for the company.
In 2006, Wonder Bread was one of the first brands to offer whole grain white breads. These breads tasted like white bread but had more nutrition. They used a special kind of wheat that didn't have a strong whole-wheat taste.
In 2007, Interstate Bakeries stopped making Wonder Bread in Southern California. This was because fewer people there were buying it. But by 2009, Wonder Bread came back to Southern California stores. Many customers had asked for it to return. The company even gave thousands of loaves to food banks.
In 2009, Wonder changed its Classic and Sandwich breads. They added more calcium and vitamin D. Two slices gave you 30% of the calcium you needed each day. This was like drinking 8 ounces of milk!
In 2010, Wonder launched Smartwhite bread. It tasted like white bread but had the fiber of whole wheat bread. In 2011, Wonder Bread started its first national ad campaign in years. It was called "Always Wonder."
In November 2012, Hostess Brands (the company that owned Wonder Bread then) decided to close its business. This temporarily stopped Wonder Bread production in the United States.
Wonder Bread Returns with Flowers Foods
Flowers Foods bought Wonder Bread and other brands in March 2013. Flowers Foods also owns brands like Mrs. Freshley's and Dave's Killer Bread. On July 22, 2013, Flowers Foods finished buying Wonder Bread.
Flowers Foods announced that Wonder Bread would return to U.S. stores. Deliveries started again on September 23, 2013.
Wonder Bread Around the World
Mexico
Grupo Bimbo, a very large baking company, used to make Wonder Bread in Mexico. They bought the rights to the brand in Mexico in 1986.
Canada
Wonder Bread came to Canada in March 1927. It was first sold in Montreal. In 1928, the "Wonder" trademark was registered in Canada. By 1930, it arrived in Toronto. Ads said it was "Great news" and "delicious." Canadian Wonder Bread was made from unbleached flour and "Slo-Baked." It was said to make "more slices and thinner slices" without crumbling.
By 1940, Wonder Bakeries Limited made Wonder Bread in Canada. They also made Hostess cakes. New products included Wonder Melior, a "better white bread." Wonder Peter Pan Bread was made for children.
In 1985, Weston Bakeries Limited bought the rights to Wonder Bread in Canada. The Canadian packaging looked very similar to the U.S. version.
Between 2000 and 2022, Weston Foods added new Wonder products. Many of these were made for parents who cared about their children's nutrition. In 2011, Weston Bakeries said that its Wonder Bread would no longer have artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
In 2022, Weston Foods sold the brand to FGF Brands. Now, it operates as Wonder Brands Incorporated.
See also
