wonder bread tours

Wonder Bread 5 Verified

Concerts and tour dates, live photos of wonder bread 5, fan reviews.

Fans Also Follow

AT WONDER BREAD FACTORY

Formerly home to the bakery behind a beloved American staple, Wonder Bread Factory pairs historic texture with modern amenities including a spacious outdoor terrace accessible via roll-up garage doors and a communal bar and lounge. Steps from Shaw Metro, Wonder Bread Factory is walking distance from District draws including local favorites Gogi Yogi, Emmy Squared, and Cracked Eggery, neighborhood bars All Souls and Right Proper, and entertainment at The Howard Theatre.  +  See Pricing

Superior is standard at The Mark. Each workspace comes outfitted with an array of exceptional amenities:

Top-tier technology

Secure and protected high-speed internet with individual log-in credentials, personal bandwidth, around-the-clock monitoring, and point-to-point cloud server access

Seamless service

Dedicated on-site staff at your service for administrative support, event facilitation, and coordination of networking opportunities

Modern meetings

Contemporary conference spaces for teams and clients

Mothers' room

Private, lockable lounge with comfortable seating

Private phone booths

Regularly disinfected quiet spaces for quick phone calls

Stocked kitchens

Frequently sanitized, full-size kitchens equipped with cold brew on tap, single-use cutlery, cups, condiments, and more

High-powered printing

Business-class contactless printer, office supplies, and paper shredder on every floor

Unique amenities include:

Outdoor oasis

Abundant al fresco space including a landscaped patio with dining tables and a furnished rooftop deck

Elevated events

High-tech and stylish event space with sound system

Bike Storage

Convenient bike rack in parking garage

FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.

With multiple membership options, The Mark meets you where you are.

PRIVATE OFFICES   - Starting at $730 /mo

For companies looking to grow their footprint

+ Book a Tour

DESIGNATED DESKS   - $500 /mo

For those seeking a permanent perch without the extra space

+ Book a Tour ​

TOUCHDOWN MEMBERSHIPS   - $350 /mo

For on-the-go professionals in search of a home base

+ Join Now ​

CONFERENCE ROOMS   - Starting at $50/hr

For teams seeking a professional and quiet place to meet, present, or brainstorm

+ Reserve Now ​

DAY PASSES   - $30 /day

For those who need consistent day-to-day flexibility

+ Buy Now ​

VIRTUAL OFFICES   - $10 0 /mo

For individuals and companies seeking a professional address - mail retrieval included

+ Browse our locations to find the right fit

Who is John McGivern? Bio

See John McGivern Live Events

John McGivern’s Main Streets Watch Season One Episodes

Watch John McGivern Again Store

“The sooner we all can begin to realize that what we share, and what is similar is greater than what’s not, and the sooner we can all begin to embrace our similarities and truly begin to respect what’s different, that’s when things get easier.”

– john mcgivern.

Network Health Tabs Comic John McGivern as Medicare Products Spokesman

Upcoming Events

Fall-ing with john mcgivern, john mcgivern – milwaukee’s own, john mcgivern’s winter wonderland.

View All Events

Follow John on Facebook

Testimonials

John, I am a first time participant in your shows. I just saw Kodachrome and loved it. I laughed and cried. I loved the nostalgia, a sentimental bond I felt with the show. This was our first Christmas without the Matriarch of our family, my Grandmother. Your performance hit close to my heart. I was moved. Thank you.

People of Milwaukee - Thank your lucky stars JM was born in your part of the world - you are blessed. Some of us wish you would tour in Wonder Bread Years - like to Dallas Texas! Have loved all of your work - will save money to buy your DVDs, but seeing you in person, live on stage is the best - Love,

John- loved your touching story reminiscing about your Family picnic, especially how your brother got to sit in the front seat, on the way home.

I was just going to complain that you never come to Elm Grove and then I read some of the comments left by other people who enjoy you as much as I do and see that you've been there before. So come again soon!!! : )

Hi Mr. McGivern, My wife and I saw you at Grafton High School. I was raised in Milwaukee and I am 50 years old. You are awesome! You brought me back to memories of my old parish, St. Roman's, and my day's of delivering the Milwaukee Journal. My wife and I are still laughing at the good old stories. Thank you so much for your wonderful show!

Dear John: Just got home from the "Wonder Bread Years". I just had to fire up the old computer and let you know how awesome the show was. I am amazed that I could have forgotten clackers until you brought them out. Thanks for bringing me back to my childhood and all the memories... I am definitely a McGiven fan and hope to see your new show this Christmas.

John, My college friends and I were yukking it up on the front rows last Sunday. We were the rain bonnet/Ms. Brookfield women. You were just so great, and we had a fabulous time. They went home singing the praises of Milwaukee and you. Many thanks for such a laughing/ crying good time.

Just saw the last performance of "The Wonder Bread Years" at Vogel Hall. Oh My God did that take me back ALOT of years! I haven't laughed so hard in a very long time. Keep up the good work, and I can't wait to see another performance. Miss you on chanel 4, I always looked forward to seeing you. you always help me look at the humorous side of life.

Hi John, Just want to say thanks for a wonderful afternoon at the Kohler Arts Center. We were there last Sunday with our friends and it was a great show. What a great little theater. As always, you made us laugh out loud. We hope you enjoyed your wine. Merry Christmas to you & Steve!

John, just returned from wonder years, your monologue was awesome, I am still laughing. I must admit I cut my grandson's peanut butter and jelly sandwich in triangles. He's 16 and loves his sandwiches that way. Thanks for taking me back to my youth and memories I had forgotten.

Hi John, Went to see Shear Madness last night and I have to say I had a really good time. My first time to see a big play and you were the funniest!! Keep up the good work and I will for sure see it again. take care.

Hi John, We just saw Shear Madness, and absolutely loved it. My friends and I all agreed, it was the best, and funniest, show we have ever seen. You are hysterical!!!! Thanks for making us laugh for almost 2 hours!!! Looking forward to your next performance.

Hi John, I just want to let you know how much I enjoyed Shear Madness last night. I have never laughed so hard! I think this is the 4th or 5th show of yours that I have seen and so far it is my favorite (with Wonder Bread Years being a close second).

John, I spoke to you at the benefit you gave for Catholic East last year. I told you about my daughter the Little Leaguer.....anyway, I just heard you with Dave & Carole and love hearing the stories about SS Peter & Paul. I am an acolyte too. Keep doing what you are doing. It is AWESOME Thanks.

Hello John, My wife Marie and I were at the 4:00PM performance of Bunk Bed Brothers last Saturday. We are still laughing when we recall some of the scenes. The set and the props were excellent. Keep up the great work. Neil Diamond would have loved the show!

John, you are just an amazing story teller, the stories of life on Bartlett and the fashionable Eastside are always fun to hear and it's always entertaining to hear more stories about Mike. By the way your Mom and Dad taught me how to play Hearts many years ago in that house on Bartlett behind McDonalds

John’s E-Mail

Booking Information

• Resources / Links

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Lykens Companies

Short North Apartments for Rent in Columbus

The Fascinating History of Wonder Bread Lofts

December 17, 2019 by

As this decade comes to a close, we look back on the history of Columbus — how our great city has grown, how it has changed, and the history that has shaped the Capital City throughout the years.

As for us here at Lykens Companies, one of our proudest accomplishments of the decade has certainly been acquiring and refurbishing the iconic Wonder Bread Factory, which has stood proudly in Italian Village for over 100 years. What used to be a bustling place of production — with the scents of freshly-baked bread wafting through the air and the constant thrum of machinery, this century-old bread factory has transformed into one of the most unique and iconic apartment buildings in Columbus.

Italianate Architecture and a Melting Pot of Immigrants at the Turn of the Century 

According to Ohio History Connection, Italian Village at the turn of the century was a melting pot of Italian, Irish, and African immigrants who worked, lived, shopped, and worshipped in this early suburb of Columbus. This neighborhood was defined by its industrial warehouses, spotted with Italian Catholic churches, a few retail buildings, and a mix of single- and multi-family residential properties. 

Architecturally, the styles of Italian Village are different from its neighboring community Victorian Village. Most of the buildings in Italian Village were built in the Italianate and Queen Anne style, using masonry (brick, block, and stone), and wood. These architectural styles reigned throughout the United States during this time period, and were not unique to Columbus. Nonetheless, we should be proud that these historic buildings still stand today. 

Italian Village: An Industrious Neighborhood that Needed a Way to Feed its Workers 

At the turn of the century (more specifically, between 1890 and 1930), many residents of Italian Village worked for the Clark Grave Vault/Clark Auto Equipment Company, the Smith Brothers Hardware Company, Berry Bolt Works, the Radio Cab Company, and the Columbus Burlap Bag Company. But the largest employer in Italian Village at the time was the Jeffery Mining Company, which employed 2,500 people at its peak. Thousands and thousands of workers reported to work every day to help build coal mining machinery, and Jeffery Mining Company needed a way to feed all those employees, hard at work. 

That’s why, in 1916, they built a bread factory across the street. All those Jeffery Mining employees were working up large appetites, and the company needed a way to keep everyone going. 

This bakery site produced baked goods for the Jeffery Mining Company and its company cafeteria. It also provided baked goods for the company’s cooperative employee store. At its peak, the bread factory produced up to 5,000 loaves per day, according to The Ohio History Connection. 

A Century of Change for Columbus’ Bread Factory

Throughout the years, this bread factory changed names — and owners — many times. In 1920, it was known as “The Columbus Bread Company”, and just three years later it changed hands to the “Holland Bread Company”. In 1929, it became the “Ward Brothers Company”, and finally, in 1934, Wonder Bakeries were handed the keys, which is when this building first became home to the Wonder Bread name we know and love today. 

At Wonder Bread’s peak, this facility churned out no fewer than several thousand loaves per minute! This huge volume of bread was then quickly shipped across the United States. 

In 2009, the Wonder Bread Factory stopped baking. Wonder Bread’s parent company, Interstate Bakeries Corporation, closed the Columbus factory, along with a sister factory in Missouri, according to The Columbus Dispatch. 

During this time, the American bread industry saw a drop in bread purchases, as Americans became more health conscious (and afraid of carbs.) Since the Columbus factory didn’t have the ability to bake Wonder Bread’s new all-natural bread line, they had no choice but to close their doors.

This building was a bread factory for over a hundred years until a stand still in 1999, until the Lykens Company bought it in 2009, after Wonder Bakeries decided to vacate the premises. (In 2009, America wasn’t sure how we felt about bread anymore, and Wonder Bakeries couldn’t justify keeping their Columbus factory open.) 

Wonderland: What would have been a community arts space 

When our very own Kevin Lykens purchased this unique property in 2009, he had a dream. He, along with a group of innovative entrepreneurs, had plans to turn the old Wonder Bread Factory into a multi-use arts center. 

According to The Columbus Dispatch, this group of local movers and shakers dreamed of converting the old bread factory into artist studios, shared office spaces, band rehearsal and recording facilities, venue and performance spaces, and galleries, all under one roof. It would be called “Wonderland”, and it would be an invaluable resource for local artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs to achieve success and establish Columbus as a true art city.

But unfortunately, the dream of Wonderland was not meant to be. The team faced multiple roadblocks from the Internal Revenue Service that made leasing terms difficult, so Kevin Lykens decided to instead turn the historic bread factory into a unique, luxury living space for Columbus residents who wanted to live in the heart of Ohio’s capital city. 

The Wonder Bread Lofts Today — Keeping the Icon Alive

Today, the Wonder Bread Factory is now The Wonder Bread Lofts. The Wonder Bread sign still stands as a reminder of this building’s fascinating past, and its history as the place that once kept Columbus bellies full and the air smelling sweetly of baked goods. 

Unlike any other apartment in Columbus, the phenomenal Wonder Bread Lofts are where personality meets luxury, and where elegance meets urban appeal. The spacious lofts have very high ceilings, exposed brick, and granite countertops, including modern amenities like washers and dryers in every unit. 

If you’re a resident of Wonder Bread Lofts, perhaps you can sit quietly and imagine how this building must have been like 100 years ago, when factory workers toiled for hours behind large machinery, the sweet smell of freshly-baked bread wafting through the air. 

Big Dog, Small Apartment: How to Make It Work

Woodhouse Vegan Dishes on Their New Location in Italian Village

The Short North Arts District With Kids – Where to Eat, Where to Go

We Planned Out Your Entire Day Near Your Italian Village Apartment

For two decades, Lykens Companies has offered Columbus, Ohio residents the best apartments and rentals in the Short North, Italian Village, Victorian Village, and other nearby neighborhoods. With an eye toward historical renovation, Lykens Companies’s development prioritizes urban renewal. How can we help find you the perfect home today?

Copyright © 2023 · Lykens Companies · All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy

The Life And Death of Wonder Bread

Clever advertising and technical innovations propelled Wonder Bread to the top

Colin Schultz

In an announcement today , Hostess—the maker of Twinkies, Wonder Bread, Ho-Hos and a range of other sugary treats—let it be known that it was going to be shutting down all of its factories, fallout from a bankruptcy filing made in January. Driving the company’s financial woes, says The Christian Science Monitor , is the fact that starting two years ago, “for the first time in the US, sales of sliced wheat bread outsold sliced white bread – a blow to the Wonder Bread label.”

First conceived in 1921  by the Taggart Baking Company, Wonder Bread grew into an iconic loaf, bleached-white, sugar-heavy, nutrient-enriched. As locally-produced, artisanal or whole-food products regain popularity, the potential death of Wonder Bread is a symbol of the ongoing cultural shift in American eating.

Wonder Bread entered the market in the post-war era with a number of key advancements: Wonder Bread was the first to introduce the 1.5 pound loaf, a jump over the existing one-pounders of the time. And, in the 1930s, its makers were the first to the shelf with sliced bread,  says Carolyn Wyman, who wrote a book on the bread’s history, to Wisconsin Public Radio .

Assisting in its rise to cultural icon, says Sam Dwyer for  Cluster Mag , was its approach to marketing, one that shirked the religious, racial and social overtones of the day.

The new Taggart bread wouldn’t carry religious or ethnic connotations that could hinder it’s sales, or even falsely identify itself with the work of Puritan mothers – it was going to be better. It was going to be from the mechanized world of the future, a utopian world with  factories suspended from the clouds by the thread of their smoke; bridges with the leap of gymnasts… and the gliding flight of aeroplanes whose propellers sound like the flapping of a flag and the applause of enthusiastic crowds – a vision outlined in Filippo Marinetti’s  Futurist Manifesto , published in 1909. … The new Wonder Bread didn’t suggest hearth and home. On the contrary, the unnaturally vibrant colors of the logo and visual purity of this new, virgin white, 1.5 pound loaf perfectly evoked the otherworldliness of the enormous manufacturing system that was seen as America’s future.

Alongside the boomer generation of the 1950s and 60s, says Believer Magazine , sales of industrially-produced white bread soared:

uring the late ’50s and early ’60s, Americans ate a lot of it. Across race, class, and generational divides, Americans consumed an average of a pound and a half of white bread per person, every week. Indeed, until the late ’60s, Americans got from 25 to 30 percent of their daily calories from the stuff, more than from any other single item in their diet (and far more than any single item contributes to the American diet today—even high-fructose corn syrup).

But the slump in sales that drove Hostess into bankruptcy, with Wonder Bread under-performing in the face of a societal turn to whole wheat bread, has been part of a long-running struggle for the bread-maker. Indeed, the past few years have seen Wonder Bread re-work its advertising and introduce a range of new products , hoping to rekindle attention from the shifting market . ”ut,” says Cluster Mag , “the newer variants of the product have never captivated the national imagination as much as the original version did.”

More from Smithsonian.com: Why We Have Sliced Bread Ratio-based Bread Baking

Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

Colin Schultz | | READ MORE

Colin Schultz is a freelance science writer and editor based in Toronto, Canada. He blogs for Smart News and contributes to the American Geophysical Union. He has a B.Sc. in physical science and philosophy, and a M.A. in journalism.

The Untold Truth Of Wonder Bread

While Wonder Bread was not the country's first manufacturer of sliced, white bread , it's certainly the brand most commonly associated with it. When Indianapolis residents were promised the coming of "wonder" in an ad released in May 1921, no one knew the entire country would soon experience that same wonder for years and years to come. 

Wonder Bread has been around for more than a century, and most Americans still recognize the iconic colorfully packaged loaves as a staple of their childhood. Wonder Bread has a pretty interesting history, and it almost went fully extinct  in 2012. It's been steadily back on shelves but the path since its inception in the '20s is definitely more complicated than its plain white interior. Want the underground facts about the bread you used to effortlessly form into balls to hurl at your fellow classmates during lunch period in elementary school? Then read on for the untold truth of Wonder Bread.

The Wonder Bread name was inspired by hot air balloons

Ever wonder how this bread got the name Wonder? Well, a branding executive for Taggart Baking Company named Elmer Cline was really inspired by hot air balloons, especially the ones he saw at the International Balloon Race held at the Indianapolis Speedway in 1921. The glorious wonder of witnessing hundreds of hot air balloons dot the sky led him to suggest naming the now iconic white loaves Wonder Bread.

Not one to forget its branding roots, Wonder Bread has maintained its utmost respect for hot air balloons. In 2001, it commissioned its own company hot air balloon with the Wonder Bread logo emblazoned across it. The balloon visits states across the country and, of course, Wonder Bread encourages people to document sightings of the Wonder balloon on social media with the hashtag #SpotTheWonder. Pretty sure Elmer Cline would be pretty proud.

Wonder Bread was thought to be more clean than homemade bread

Lucky for Wonder Bread, its heyday happened before the term "processed food" was a bad word. Old school bread was made in the home. Eventually bakeries started do the bread making, but they weren't the cutesy bakeries we think of today.  Early industrial age bakeries weren't exactly spic and span, and bakers sometimes allegedly compromised the quality of the product when they cut corners to save dough ("dough," in this instance, is both a cheeky term for money and the literal dough of bread). They may have even  added stuff like sawdust to stretch what they had. 

When food-borne illnesses like cholera and typhus started to take people down at the turn of the century, folks started getting really paranoid about what was in their food. This fear often led to the nixing of bread baked locally. In short, folks worried about the safety of consuming what we would now probably refer to as locally sourced bread. Instead people turned to "factory bread," which they envisioned as being kneaded by the palms of angels in a giant, pristine, sparkling industrial kitchen, or something along those lines. The whiteness of staple bread brands like Wonder Bread only served to further solidify its reputation for purity and cleanliness. 

Wonder Bread didn't invent sliced bread

Wonder Bread might have capitalized on the concept of sliced bread, but it certainly didn't invent it. A man named Otto Rohwedder invented the first bread slicing machine (built to slice bread by the loaf) in 1928. A lot of bakers were skeptical though. Who's gonna care about their bread being sliced? Um, turns out, everyone. Finally a bread making outlet in Missouri, the Chillicothe Baking Company, took the plunge and gave Rohwedder's invention a go 'round. Ads promoting their "Kleen Maid Sliced Bread" praised the loaves for their convenience and efficiency. Sliced bread was a hit. It was the greatest thing since... well, we're not sure exactly what or who held the title for "greatest thing" before sliced bread took over and maintained top billing.

It was such a hit that by 1930, Wonder Bread was cranking out its own slicing machines, and in turn its loaves of sliced white bread, which became an American staple. While sliced bread had already proven itself worthy, Wonder Bread arguably took it to a whole new level of fame, which is why it's often associated with this then-novel concept.

Wonder Bread loaves were sold unsliced during World War II

Sliced Wonder Bread was seemingly having the time of its life in America, until 1943. For about two months of that year, it took a hiatus from the shelves of grocery stores. Why did Wonder Bread's star sliced loaf go out of sight? It was World War II and the US government decided our country needed both the manufacturing power and the materials dedicated to bread making and slicing to be instead dedicated to making weapons. Lawmakers issued a ban of sliced bread . Steel was needed for ammo, not bread slicers. Even the wax paper used to hold the sliced loaves together was deemed a necessity for the military. 

They also thought that if people couldn't get their bread pre-sliced anymore like they had grown accustomed to, they wouldn't buy as much bread. In turn, the demand for wheat would go down , which would decrease the price (flour had seen a 10 percent increase in cost) and give the military access to a lot more wheat.

Eventually the same year it was banned it was allowed to return. The government acknowledged that the savings from taking away sliced bread were not substantial. And the legendary Wonder Bread was able to resume slicin' and sellin' with fervor.

Wonder Bread wasn't always enriched

In the early 1900s, a disease referred to as pellagra was wreaking so much havoc, medical professionals at the time deemed it an "epidemic." Essentially, the individuals suffering were thought to be deficient in vitamin B3, and experiencing symptoms like dementia, dermatitis, diarrhea, and ultimately, death. While the cause of pellagra wasn't understood until decades later, experts then associated it with the lack of vitamins in the staple food southern Americans were consuming — white bread. Right before the initial pellagra outbreak was the beginning of the degermination of a staple element to that bread, corn. The brown bread that had been stripped to white bread got blamed.

The FDA got involved when it instigated its "flour hearings" in 1940. Experts convinced bread makers to find a way to basically add back into white bread the vitamins and nutrients it had been robbed of, namely thiamin, riboflavin, and nicotinic acid. Thus, bread became enriched (and was required to be labeled as so), and pellagra was seemingly eradicated. It was seen as a health victory and Wonder Bread being a well-known white bread brand at the time became a hero.

One 1952 commercial for Wonder Bread promised eight health benefits

There's a slim chance of ever seeing the white flour products of today advertising to consumers by promoting their health benefits. Most tap into nostalgia , or just tastiness. However, in its early days, Wonder Bread definitely tried to woo consumers with promises of good health. One retro Wonder Bread  commercial  from the 1950s promises eight perks to pounding the white stuff — protein, calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, and energy — and also alleges how much other food it would require to get those much-needed elements to "build strong bodies." 

Today, Wonder Bread is encouraging folks to "feed their joy" in its commercials . Oh, and of course, they tap into the whole "wonder" motif with a boy on a trampoline turning into a man in space when he takes a bite of a sandwich made with Wonder Bread. It's certainly a far cry from the "eat this bread because all our additives will make your bones grow" marketing route.

A 1998 lawsuit accused Wonder Bread of racism

In 1998, Wonder Bread wasn't in the spotlight for being a beacon of conveniently packaged grub. Instead, it was tossed into the nation's legal system when 15 black employees at one of the company's plants sued for discrimination . The workers claimed that their white supervisors engaged in racist behavior including not allowing the black employees to gather together for fear of them forming a gang, telling racially charged jokes, and withholding promotional opportunities. They were asking Wonder Bread, its then-parent company, Interstate Brands, Corp, and five of the local San Francisco plant managers, to fork over $260 million in damages. 

In 2000, a judge decided to award 17 of the plaintiffs , which had grown from 15 to 21, $120 million in punitive damages. All 21 were also awarded $11 million for lost wages, pain, and suffering due to discrimination. Interstate Brands said at the time that they planned to appeal the decision. 

It became difficult for Hostess to uphold the health benefits of Wonder Bread

In 2010, Wonder Bread's then-parent company Hostess Brands was trying to convince the American public that their white bread was indeed (once again) a healthy choice. Advertisements promised perks like vitamin D, calcium, and fiber gained through eating the bread. By that time, though, nutrition experts (and anyone who hadn't been living under a rock) knew that those virtuous qualities Wonder Bread was touting were actually additives put into the bread after it had been scraped of all nutritional value in the whitening process. Basically, everyone knew what "enriched" meant by this point. 

Wonder Bread sales had been declining — they were down 15% in 2009 — so Hostess was definitely grasping at straws for ways to market the bread to now health-savvy American eaters. Most had become hip to the fact that there were better ways to consume vitamins, and it was in foods where they were naturally occurring. There were even dietitians pointing out that there is such a thing as too many vitamins. Wonder Bread and Hostess had to do more to convince Americans who had been witnesses to the whole wheat gospels that there was still value in their sliced, white carb missiles. 

Flowers Foods Inc saved Wonder Bread after Hostess Brands went belly up

Can you believe Wonder Bread left us for almost a full year ? When the bread's parent company Hostess Brands went officially out of business in 2012, Wonder Bread ceased to line the shelves of supermarkets. Thankfully, a savior swooped in. Flowers Foods Inc., which still owns Wonder Bread today, acquired five of Hostess's bread brands , many of which people were very upset to see go when Hostess called it quits.

Flower Foods decided to recapture the nostalgia associated with Wonder Bread by returning to its original packaging and even utilizing an early version of its recipe. It returned to shelves in September of 2013. It seems as though it's here to stay thanks to the help of Flower Foods, and perhaps people's willingness to support the bread after experiencing the sad reality of it not being available. You don't know what you got 'til it's gone — right, Wonder Bread?

Wonder Bread celebrated its 100th anniversary by giving back

Wonder Bread celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021, commemorating the milestone in generous fashion. In May 2021, the company announced it was partnering with the nonprofit organization AdoptAClassroom.org on a new initiative called "Wonder of Science" (via AP News ). Through the program, several middle and high school science classes throughout the country held virtual events with Emily Calandrelli, host of the Netflix children's educational show, "Emily's Wonder Lab." During these virtual classes, Calandrelli demonstrated various science experiments and showed students how to conduct them safely at home. In addition to sponsoring these free online classes, Wonder Bread donated $10,000 to each participating school to improve its science program and purchase new equipment. In total, Wonder Bread donated $100,000 to schools in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Georgia, and New York.

"There was no better way to celebrate our 100th anniversary than to pay it forward to teachers and students, with the help of our partners, Emily, and AdoptAClassroom.org," John Steed, Flowers Foods' senior vice president of legacy brands, said in a statement to AP News. "Wonder Bread is proud to be a part of countless childhood memories, and we're dedicated to promoting the sense of wonder that comes with learning about the world as a child. Our hope is that each of these events we've put together throughout the year so far will inspire kids to be curious and learn more."

Wonder Bread is a long-time partner of the USO

By now, we know all about Wonder Bread's generous ways, and no organization has benefitted more from the company's philanthropic efforts than the United Service Organizations (USO). The bread maker has been a longtime partner with the nonprofit organization that provides aid and services to millions of military members and their families. In 2019, Wonder Bread teamed up with Tastykake for their "Deploy the Joy" campaign, which featured prominent in-store grocery displays supporting the USO, as well as limited-edition, branded packaging. As part of the campaign, the companies made a $1 million donation to the nonprofit.

"We consider it a privilege to support the USO's mission to strengthen America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country," said Debo Mukherjee, Flowers Foods' chief marketing officer, in a statement about the campaign. "Wonder Bread and Tastykake have a long history of supporting the military, and we're proud to continue the tradition with this commitment to the USO."

This was just the latest in a long line of partnerships Wonder Bread has formed with the USO. In 2018, the brand announced its "Camo for the Cause," initiative complete with a $250,000 donation. Prior to that, in both 2011 and 2012 , the company held a "Wonder Bread Heroes" campaign that promoted and supported USO programs.

It now makes a variety of bread products

When you think Wonder Bread, you may think of the iconic, snowy white slices of sandwich bread. But these days, Wonder Bread is so much more.

In 2006, the brand stepped out of its white-coated box and introduced two whole wheat versions of Wonder Bread (via CBS ). The move came amid a shift in Americans' diets toward healthier options. The new breads, made with white whole wheat flour, contained 2 grams of fiber per slice. Years later, Wonder Bread doubled — or should we say, tripled — down on its wheat efforts. In 2012, the company introduced three new wheat bread products: Wonder 100% Whole Wheat, Honey Wheat, and Wheat Sandwich. According to Perishable News , the products contained no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, 0 grams of trans fat, and 25% less sodium than traditional wheat breads.

Wonder Bread has continued to expand its product line ever since its dive into the wheat bread world, most notably, by thinking of bread options outside of its iconic sandwich variety. The brand now offers everything from hamburger and hot dog buns, to sub and Philly steak rolls, as well as dinner rolls and English muffins.

Wonder Bread tweaked its recipe

There's always room for improvement, so even though it had been satisfying the needs of bread eaters for decades, Wonder Bread tweaked its recipe in 2009 to make its signature items healthier. According to Baking Business , more calcium and vitamin D were added to Wonder Classic and Wonder Classic Sandwich bread. The reformulated recipe meant two slices of Wonder Bread now contained the same amount of calcium as an 8-ounce glass of milk or approximately 30% of an individual's daily recommended intake. Drug Store News reported at the time that most Americans were not consuming enough calcium.

"Balancing the food your family enjoys while providing the nutrition you want them to have can be difficult," Rich Seban, chief marketing officer of then-Wonder Bread maker, Interstate Brands, said in a statement to Drug Store News. "For more than 85 years, Wonder has been a staple in American households with a long history of identifying ways of enhancing the nutritional value of bread. Wonder's added calcium and vitamin D offerings reinforce the brand's continued focus on health as it continues to expand its menu of great tasting, healthy choices for the whole family. Giving your family the nutrition they need never tasted so good."

Several Wonder Bread factories have shut down in recent years

Although Wonder Bread is still going strong more than a century after first being introduced, the same cannot be said for the factories that produce the grocery store staple. Several notable Wonder Bread manufacturing sites have shut their doors in recent years.

In 2004, the 180,000-square-foot factory in Buffalo, New York shuttered, according to Atlas Obscura . The building had been in operation since 1923. Wonder Bread turned the lights off at two more factories in 2009, one in Columbus, Ohio and another in Springfield, Missouri (via Columbus Business First ). Just two years later, the historic Wonder Bread factory in Jamaica, Queens, NYC, which had stood for 130 years, was closed (via Gothamist ). And finally, a Wonder Bread factory in the medical district of Memphis, Tennessee shut down in 2013, according to the Memphis Daily News .

At least one old factory is getting a second, more luxurious life. The New York Daily News reports that a former Wonder Bread plant in Hoboken, New Jersey has been transformed into a luxury apartment building, known as Wonder Lofts. The building served as a bakery from 1909 until the late 1960s. Instead of bread, it now offers apartments costing upwards of $2.4 million.

Wonder Bread Launches 7 Wonders of the USA Teacher Tour

Share this story.

Restricted Content

You must have JavaScript enabled to enjoy a limited number of articles over the next 30 days.

Recommended Articles

The top 50 snack and bakery companies of 2023

Most popular new products: May 2024

State of the Industry 2024: Bakers continue to show resilience and creativity

Related articles, hostess launches new wheat versions of wonder bread.

'Wonder of Science' initiative by Wonder Bread, to support K-12 science education

Baker who rose from hardship crowned Bread Hero of the USA

Related products, the chorleywood bread process.

Big Food: Critical perspectives on the global growth of the food and beverage industry

Related directories, wp bakery group usa, keep the info flowing with our enewsletters, get the latest industry updates tailored your way..

Copyright ©2024. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

• New Releases
• Author News
• Our Bloggers

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Wonder bread turns 94.

15 comments:

Oh, I love this post, Ramona. I'm pretty sure I had peanut-butter and homemade, strawberry jelly sandwiches everyday from kindergarten through eighth grade. As a "grown-up", I don't think I've had a white bread sandwich in twenty years. I may have to take a walk down memory lane and get some Wonder bread. Thank you for a great post.

Hi, Michele! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I'm sure it has been at least twenty years and probably more since I've eaten white bread. I can still remember the aroma of it when I opened my school lunch box. :-) Thanks for stopping by and joining me in this little stroll down memory lane.

We used to have a Wonder Bread factory near our old house. I can remember driving by and breathing in the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread. It's such a delicious smell.

Hi, Vickie! What a great memory! I'll bet you had the best smelling neighborhood in your town! :-) Thanks for stopping by!

I enjoyed your research on Wonder Bread and I remember it well. Being an MK I did not eat any till I came to US on furlough. It was incredible that we enjoyed it so much when we were used to home baked bread in Nigeria. Thanks for your post. Yea for Indiana! sm wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com

Hi, Sharon! Funny how something locals take for granted can seem exotic to a newcomer to this country. I'm glad you enjoyed the post and the memory.

I remember my brother smashing his bread and rolling it into the size of a large marble. He ate it then, but it doesn't sound appetizing.

LOL Love that, Terri! No, that doesn't sound appetizing to me either. Amazing what an adventurous boy can do with a slice of white bread. :-) Thanks for stopping by and sharing your memory.

What a fun memory, Ramona. My sister and I used to take the slice of white bread and squish it into a little ball of dough and eat it, just like Terri mentioned. We loved it. Thanks for sharing.

Hi, Nancy! Thanks for stopping by. I must have missed out on the bread-ball eating trend as a kid. Glad my post revived a fond childhood memory. :-)

Ramona, my husband and I were just discussing old slogans yesterday and Wonder Bread came up. We didn't know that it was balloons on the bag. We thought they were just circles. Of course, where I grew up, Sunbeam Bread was the one to buy. Did you ever hear of it? Used to enjoy the smell as we drove past too. But no white bread for me anymore.

Hi, Marilyn! Yes, I have heard of Sunbeam bread. I'm thinking it was sold more in the South? Not sure. I first heard the colored "dots" on the Wonder Bread package called "balloons" on the 1960s Annie Oakley TV show. The gal playing Annie would advertise the bread in the commercial break, always finishing with "Look for the package with the red, yellow, and blue balloons."

Hi Ramona! I can remember going to tour a Wonder Bread factory when I was a Girl Scout. Of course, it smelled wonderful and at the end of the tour they presented each one of us with a very small mini loaf of bread. Yum!!!!!

Hi, Melanie! What a great, and yummy memory! I'll bet your scout troupe loved that tour! Thanks for sharing it. :-)

Thanks for this post, Ramona. I love hearing the stories behind successful (and not-so successful) marketing.

Chicago prepares for Macy's parade performance, summer tour with EWF: 'We're relentless'

The holiday season is bringing Chicago to New York – literally.

The veteran band stocked with six decades of hits will perform during Thursday’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as it rolls through Manhattan, the fourth time the hitmakers have been asked to participate in the famed kickoff of the holiday season.

“That usually isn’t done,” said the band’s Lee Loughnane about Chicago’s multiple appearances over the years. “The fun part is being in the parade itself and seeing thousands of people lining the streets. They have to be freezing their butts off because we are while on the float!”

The Chicago lineup will be cozy on the Wonder bread Wondership float: founding members Loughnane and James Pankow – the core horn section – and singer/keyboardist Robert Lamm, along with Neil Donell (vocals), Eric Baines (bass), Ramon Yslas (percussion), Tony Obrohta (lead guitar), Ray Herrmann (saxophone, flute and clarinet), Loren Gold (keyboards) and Walfredo Reyes Jr. (drums).

A trio of Christmas songs from the band’s “ Chicago Greatest Christmas Hits ,” a recently released collection from their three holiday albums, will play continuously as the Wondership crawls down 6 th Avenue before the band performs a 90-second version of its 1984 hit ballad, “You’re the Inspiration” at the parade conclusion at Macy’s Herald Square.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

More: When and where to watch the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, plus who's performing

Chicago teamed with Dolly Parton for a Christmas classic

Chicago’s collection of Christmas albums is also available as a three-CD set, “Chicago Christmas Complete,” as well as a single playlist on digital platforms.

Loughnane, 77, recalls recording the first holiday album, “ Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album ” in 1998 when band members brought in their offspring to sing in the choir on “Child’s Prayer” and “One Little Candle.”

“Those kids are all grown up now,” he says, wistfully.

That album also spawned what became Chicago’s bestselling Christmas hit, their cover of “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” with Loughnane on lead vocals.

“We had each taken as many songs as we could to decide which we wanted to arrange and I brought in ‘Let It Snow!.' I had no intention of singing it and don’t remember how I got on there, but it worked out!” he says.

The song, unsurprisingly, is Loughnane’s favorite Christmas musical offering.

It took more than a decade before their follow-up yuletide, “ Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas Tree ” landed with guest spots from Dolly Parton (“Wonderful Christmas Time”) and BeBe Winans (“Merry Christmas Darling”) in 2011.

Loughnane says Parton came to the studio not expecting to record, but once Chicago presented her with their brass-filled arrangement, “all of a sudden, she was on the mic, singing. She’s such a great singer, a one-take-and-you’re-done type. And BeBe, he’s been around the block and knows what he’s doing. He wasn’t familiar with the song but learned it while recording.”

Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire plan another summer outing

While Chicago will bask in the holiday warmth for a couple of months, they’ll soon return to their familiar place on an amphitheater stage this summer with longtime touring co-headliners , Earth, Wind & Fire.

The 30-city Heart & Soul 2024 outing runs July 10-Sept. 7 (tickets are on sale now via ticketmaster.com ).

It’s a union that the musicians value as much as the fans.

“Both bands are from Chicago and you have Black artists and white artists from the same city. It’s the perfect show for Super Bowl halftime, but so far no one has thought the same thing,” Loughnane jokes about a pairing that began in 2004.

As in past years, each band will play a headlining set before a joint encore that spotlights the distinct virtuosity of both musical icons ( “September,” “Shining Star” and “25 or 6 to 4” have been go-to choices on recent tours.)

Chicago's motto: 'We try to make it sound like the first time'

But to open their touring season, Chicago will first tuck into another special engagement – their seventh – at The Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas for nine shows in February and March.

Loughnane appreciates the “not traveling” aspect of the mini-residency and the receptiveness of the audiences, which keep piling in.

“I’m not sure many bands get a second year, but we’ve been doing so well they keep inviting us back, so we must be doing something right,” he says.

As for the enduring legacy of Chicago , which was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, Loughnane and his bandmates maintain a humble perspective.

“There was no way for us to have foreseen where we would be today,” he says. “It’s very difficult to find people who enjoy doing what we do at the same level that we do. We’re relentless. We try to make it sound like it’s the first time.”

More: Dolly Parton dug deep to become a 'Rockstar': 'I'm going to bust a gut and do it'

The Wonder Bread Years

Friday, february 23, saturday, february 24, sunday, february 25, starring john mcgivern.

The Wonder Bread Years Starring Pat Hazell- official promo video from Sweetwood Creative on Vimeo .

Back to Calendar

Mainstage Series

Sponsored by.

Event sponsored by

War Hippies—canceled

The drifters.