Fascinating
facts about the invention
of
Wonder® Bread by Elmer Cline in 1921. |
WONDER®
BREAD |
AT A GLANCE:
In 1921,
the Taggert Baking Company of Indianapolis was planning to launch its
1.5 pound loaf of bread. Elmer Cline was charged with
finding a name for the new bread.
Inspiration struck while Elmer was visiting the International Balloon Race
at the Indianapolis Speedway. He was awestruck by a sky filled with hundreds
of colorful balloons. To Elmer, the image signified a sense of “wonder,” and Wonder® Bread was born.
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THE
STORY
RELATED INFO
BOOKS
WEB SITES
WHERE TO FIND
QUOTATIONS
DID YOU KNOW? |
|
Invention: |
Wonder® Bread |
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Definition: |
noun /
trademark |
|
Function: |
Wonder
Bread is a brand of extremely soft white bread.
Elmer Cline was awestruck by a sky filled with hundreds of colorful
balloons. To him, the image signified a sense of “wonder,” and Wonder® Bread
was born. |
|
| Inventor: |
Elmer Clime |
|
|
Criteria: |
First to invent. |
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Milestones:
1921 Taggart Baking Company of
Indianapolis was planning to launch its 1.5 pound loaf of bread.
1921 Taggart Vice President Elmer Cline names the new bread Wonder® Bread
1925 Continental Baking Company bought the Taggert
Baking Compan
1930 Wonder begins selling pre-packaged pre-sliced bread
1941 The war effort needs metal used in slicing blades, so Wonder is
only sold by the loaf.
1941 Wonder introduced a revolutionary new way of
baking that eliminated holes in bread.
1941 Wonder intorduces enriched white bread with vitamins and minerals
to improve nutrition
1986 a new reduced-calorie Wonder Light was launched. Made with fibers
from natural sources
1995 Interstate Brands Corporation acquired the Continental Baking
Company
2001 In honor of its 80th birthday, the Wonder Bread
hot air balloon begins touring the country
2004 Interstate Brands Corporation files for bankruptcy protection
bread, wonder bread, white bread, Elmer Cline, Taggart Baking Company,
Continental Baking Company, Interstate Brands Corporation, invention,
history, inventor of, history of, who invented, invention of,
fascinating facts. |
|
The Story:
In 1921, the Taggart Baking Company of Indianapolis was
planning to launch its 1.5 pound loaf of bread. But first, the new product
needed a name and identity. Vice President Elmer Cline was charged with
merchandising development of the new bread loaf.
Inspiration struck while Elmer was visiting the International Balloon Race
at the Indianapolis Speedway. He was awestruck by a sky filled with hundreds
of colorful balloons. To Elmer, the image signified a sense of “wonder,” and Wonder® Bread was born. Since that time, the colorful red, blue and yellow
balloons have been the cornerstone of Wonder Bread’s logo and package.
Following Wonder Bread’s debut, company trucks delivered helium-filled
balloons to children, who were asked to take a letter to their mother. The
letter, featuring a picture of the new Wonder loaf, invited the reader to
try the new bread. It’s said that after the promotion, Wonder Bread sales
outdistanced those of any other brand in the city.
In 1925, the Continental Baking Company bought the Indianapolis bakery and
“Slo-baked” Wonder Bread soon became a national brand.
The Continental Baking Company altered the course of bread forever in the
1930s when it introduced sliced Wonder Bread. Sales were slow at first as
suspicious consumers were slow to accept a pre-sliced bread, but convenience
overruled apprehension and soon everyone wanted sliced Wonder Bread on their
dinner table.
During the 40s, Americans were forced to tighten their belts and the
Continental Baking Company did its part to support the war effort. Metals
become so precious that the blades for the bread-slicing machines are no
longer available. Unsliced bread is again sold on grocery store shelves.
Several advances in the nutrition and baking process were made during this
decade. In 1941, Wonder Bread was involved in a government-supported move to
enrich white bread with vitamins and minerals to improve nutrition. Known as
the “quiet miracle,” bread enrichment nearly eliminated the diseases
Beriberi and Pellagra and brought essential nutrients to people who
previously could not afford nutritious foods. At the same time Wonder
introduced a revolutionary new way of baking that eliminated holes in bread.
The 70s ushered in an era of providing the consumer with nutritional
information. Wonder Bread adopted an open-dating system on bread products
and introduced nutrition information labels, clearly informing consumers
about freshness dates and product ingredients.
In 1986, a new reduced-calorie Wonder Bread was launched. Made with fibers
from natural sources, Wonder Light is the company’s most successful new
product in decades.
In 1995, Interstate Brands Corporation acquired the Continental Baking
Company, and the “Remember the Wonder” ad campaign reminded consumers that
Wonder Bread, one of the nation’s softest, freshest, most fun bread
products, is also nutritious.
In honor of Wonder Bread’s 80th birthday, the Wonder Bread hot air balloon
began touring the country in the summer of 2001. Flying at balloon
festivals and spreading the story of how Wonder Bread earned its name, the
balloon brings back childhood lunchbox memories to people from coast to
coast and reminds everyone why Wonder Bread is their favorite.
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TO
LEARN MORE
RELATED INFORMATION:
Invention of the Bread Slicer from The Great Idea Finder
History of Food from The Great Idea Finder
ON THE BOOKSHELF:
Loaves of Fun : A History of Bread with Activities and Recipes from Around
the World (Paperback)
by Elizabeth M. Harbison, John Harbison (Ill.) / Paperback: 92 pages /
Chicago Review Press; (1999)
According to Harbison's
introduction, "The history of bread is also the history of civilization." In
an informal, anecdotal style the author supports this premise by describing
the conditions of life in various times and places and explaining how and
why bread was made.
The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread
by Peter Reinhart, Ron Manville (Photg.) / Hardcover: 304 pages / Ten Speed
Press (2001)
"Mastery comes with practice." As
in many arts, you must know and understand the rules before you can break
them. Reinhart encourages you to learn the science of bread making, but to
never forget that vision and experimentation, not formulas, make
transcendent loaves.
More From Magnolia : Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's
Home Kitchen
by Allysa Torey / Hardcover: 160 pages / Simon & Schuster (September 28,
2004)
Located in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, the near-shoebox-size Magnolia
Bakery has become a destination for lovers of all-things sweet. The reason?
From the beginning its owner Allysa Torey and her staff have offered cakes
(and particularly cupcakes), pies, and other pastries that are utterly
unpretentious but deeply satisfying in a
grandmother-would-have-made-it-if-she-could-have way.
Six Thousand Years of Bread: Its Holy and Unholy History
by H. E. Jacobs / Paperback: 416 pages / The Lyons Press; 1.00 edition (July
1, 1997)
In this remarkable and
all-encompassing volume, H. E. Jacob takes us through six thousand dynamic
years of bread's role in politics, religion, technology, and beyond.
Follows the story from its
beginning in ancient Egypt and continues through to modern times.
ON THE WEB:
Wonder Bread Official
Web Site
It was originally produced by Taggart Baking Company of Indianapolis. After
"blind" promotion with ads that only stated a "Wonder" was coming on May 21,
1921. It was named by Taggart Vice President Elmer Cline who was inspired by
the International Balloon Race at the Indianapolis Speedway resulting in the
red, yellow and blue logo.
(URL: www.wonderbread.com)
Wonder
Bread Hot Air Balloon
Flying at balloon festivals and spreading the story of how Wonder Bread
earned its name, the balloon brings back childhood lunchbox memories to
people from coast to coast and reminds everyone why Wonder Bread is their
favorite.
(URL: www.wonderbread.com/balloon.html)
IBC Official Site
Welcome to Interstate Bakeries Corporation, the largest wholesale bread and
cake distributor in the United States and the home of two American icons:
Hostess® Twinkies® and Wonder® Bread.
(URL: www.interstatebakeriescorp.com/index.html)
Wonder what's next? Whole-grain white bread
Wonder Bread, the nation's No. 1 bread brand, is going against the grain.
Next month, it's coming out with a 100% whole-wheat loaf aimed at mothers
who are worried about children's nutrition. New federal dietary guidelines
recommend that at least half of a consumer's bread and cereal intake be from
whole-grain products. Article By Elizabeth Weise for USA TODAY.COOKIES
and POP-UP ADS.
(URL: www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-06-29-wonderbread_x.htm?csp=34)
Topps Wacky Packages - Wonder Bread Premiums
Between 1973 and 1975 Topps issued three runs of stickers that were given
away in bags of Wonder Bread. All stickers had plain tan backs.
(URL: www.wackypackages.org/stickers/wonderbread/)
The Wonder Bread Years - A Play
Look at yourself in the mirror. Can you see the similarities between you and
a slice of white vitamin-enriched bread? Then this is the show you've been
looking for.Review by Barry Pineo.
(URL: www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-05-13/arts_review.html)
The
Wonder Bread Song
I grew up on Wonder Bread. Peanut butter and jelly red. Asking why and how
and when. Rain falls down again and again. Poetry by Jamie McKenzie.
(URL: www.fno.org/poetry/wonderbread.html)
Will Wonder Bread
Survive?
A year after bankruptcy, the maker of Wonder Bread and Hostess Twinkies has
taken steps to solve a host of internal problems but is still not out of
trouble. Part of its recipe: new products to reach new customers, something
that had been a blind spot for the 78-year-old company.
(URL: msnbc.msn.com/id/9579832/)
A Little Bread History
Although I craved it as a kid, Wonder Bread can hardly be seen as the
pinnacle of the baker's art. To the contrary, it's more like the lowest of
the low. Did you know you can squeeze a loaf of Wonder into a ball the size
of your fist?
(URL: www.zingermans.com/Article.pasp?ArticleID=article43)
Wonder Bread Fitness Contest
Today, Wonder Bread is once again challenging Canadian kids and their
families to incorporate the fun and easy activities of the Wonder Fresh
Fitness Challenge into their daily routine and help Canada beat last year's
exercise totals
(URL: torontosun.com/Lifestyle/2005/09/29/1240457-sun.html)
WORDS OF WISDOM:
“Builds Strong Bodies 8 Ways.” -
Wonder Bread 1930's advertisement
“Build Strong Bodies 12 Ways” -
Wonder Bread 1960's advertisement
“Remember the Wonder" -
Wonder Bread 1990's advertisement
DID YOU KNOW?
- In 2004, Interstate Bakeries
declared bankruptcy, putting the future of Wonder Bread in some doubt.
- The Happy Wonder Bakers quartet had their
own radio show on NBC.
- In the 1930s, Wonder Bread was a major
sponsor of the World's Fairs in both Chicago and New York and gave
fairgoers an oven's eye view of how their loaves were baked.
- In the 40s with America marching off to
war, Taggart introduced another breakthrough, fortified bread.
- Wonder is the best selling bread in
America. Forty nine bakeries across the country wrap up more than 600,000
loaves a day.
- Did you know you
can squeeze a loaf of Wonder into a ball the size of your fist?
-
Thousands of loaves of fresh Wonder Bread are distributed to store shelves
on more than 7,000 delivery routes from Continental's 40 bakeries across
the country.
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Designated
trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. |
| Reference
Sources in BOLD Type. |
This
page revised October, 2005. |
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