Did you know? Sliced bread came into existence in 1928. An American bakery in Chillicothe sold the first-ever wrapped sliced bread. Indeed people were thankful because the unsliced bread was inconvenient. But, suppose, if they were still serving the unsliced loaves of bread, how would you feel if each time you had to cut the piece and then make a sandwich? The sound of these words is annoying for me. And I am sure you acknowledge this. Thus, sliced bread became the greatest invention in history. Anyways, we have an exciting topic to discuss today, i.e.,” When was sliced bread invented?”
Without further delay, let us explore some pages of the history and find out the answers to all the Ws: (when was sliced bread invented? Where did the sliced bread come from? and who created the sliced bread?).
Table of Contents
When was sliced bread invented?
To begin with, there is an ancient saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention”. This saying is cent per cent correct. Yes, there was a massive necessity for serving the sliced bread. This is because the old method for making bread recipes was time taking and annoying. But, let us not drive ourselves on another track. The main question here is when Sliced bread was invented?
On July 7th, 1928, history marked an extraordinary innovation. This was the day when a small bakery in America started selling sliced bread.
However, as everyone knows, those were difficult times. Money was more petite, and people were desperate. Unfortunately, the government banned Sliced bread production in the winters of 1943. Indeed, The main reason to deny the Sliced break in the American market was World War 2.
Moreover, The war brought horrors of starvation and cold blood killings with it. Men were at war, and women became the centre point for all the suffering. Also, There was no money due to the economic downfall. And the shopkeepers were selling expensive sliced bread. On top of all these atrocities, do you expect people to buy anything costly?
Another good reason for the government to ban sliced bread is that it came wrapped in wax paper. The preservatives were not invented yet. Therefore, to keep the sliced bread fresh, more wax paper is used. Thus, the prices of sliced bread increased, leading to its downfall.
However, the ban on sliced bread was temporary as the government failed to preserve wax paper. Therefore, they removed the ban on March 8, 1943. Moreover, the citizens’ response was positive.
Who invented Sliced Bread and where?
To begin, there is a fascinating story behind this great invention. We have been enjoying sliced bread for ages. However, people before the 20th century used to buy a big loaf of bread. And the whole family tears it off and eats. I know, it sounds strange. But it was true.
Imagine their feelings when they got sliced bread from the market. All I know is that women might be thrilled. They liked their bread pre-sliced.
Now, we have been talking about the invention, but I forgot to mention the name of this great inventor. It was Otto Frederick Rohwedder! There is much more to his name. A great and passionate story.
Frederick was the owner of three jewellery stores in Missouri. He was an engineer and had a thing for experimenting. Frederick wanted to invent the sliced bread machine as he was able to see a bright future. However, people did not support his idea and laughed off his face.
But being the bold type, he ignored them all and started developing the machine. Moreover, he sold one of his stores to finance his invention.
Unfortunately, a minor fire incident in his factory destroyed all the machine designs and blueprints. That was indeed a difficult time for Frederick. But, he faced it with a smile on his face. The incident strengthened his intentions, and he continued working. At last, he achieved success.
Eventually, he made a bread slicing machine capable of providing you with the perfect and equal slices. On top of it, the machine also wraps the pieces separately in wax paper. The wax paper was able to protect it from damage.
Immediately, he got the patent and sold it to his close friend. Frank Bench, Frederick’s friend, set up the machine in his bakery in Missouri
Greatest invention: To be continued…
We were discussing how Frank Bench bought the machine and started selling it. It was a wonder for the people, and they started enjoying their bread pre-cut. As a result, the demand for sliced bread increased. Therefore, Frederick installed his invention all over the country to be accessible to ordinary people easily.
As time passed, many inventors did improvise Frederick’s invention as specific faults in the machine. However, Otto Frederick Rohwedder holds the original title of sliced bread inventor.
The advertisement for sliced bread started in 1928. It was Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune that published the first advertisement for sliced bread. The ad claimed that the Chillicothe Baking Company has a bread slicing machine. Also, they informed the public to visit the bakery to get fresh and perfect cut bread.
Moreover, the advertisement mentioned the necessary instructions to open it. It directed customers to open it from one end, remove the pin and enjoy the perfect shaped slices.
This was the most significant step which led to the production of more and more sliced bread. Eventually, there was a remarkable decline in the production of unsliced bread till the ban in March 1943.
If we look at the bright side, the government lowered the prices of flour and bread to serve the starving citizens. The decision to ban the sliced bread was indeed wise, considering the conditions. However, the government did not see any difference in the economy after the ban. Therefore, they removed the ban relieving the public.
Sliced Bread: Patent and Improvisation
Indeed Otto Frederick Rohwedder did the impossible task at that time. However, there were few shortcomings in the machine. Therefore, another Missouri’s baker, Gustav Papendick, invented the second machine. This machine was an improvisation of the first one. Moreover, this new machine was able to cut more neatly and wrap more efficiently. His unique concepts were helpful, of course.
Furthermore, the introduction of sliced bread flooded the market. Many significant companies emerge with their version of sliced bread, such as Continental Baking Company’s Wonder Bread. Also, with the invention of the Charles Strite pop-up toasters in 1926, the demand for sliced bread increased all over the country.
Rohwedder joined Micro-Westco Co. in Iowa. Moreover, He sold the machine patent to the company and became the vice president. Frederick also served as the sales manager in the Rohwedder Bakery Machine Division of the company. Unfortunately, we lost a great inventor in 1960. He left the world at the age of 71, leaving us lamenting.
Conclusion
We all are thankful for all the most significant inventions. It’s like the people in the 21st century got it all served on a plate. Unfortunately, we never know how these inventors felt? What were their insecurities? How much did they risk? After reading this article, you will better acknowledge the saying, “The war changed the people”. It indeed did. People who hated change started welcoming new inventions with an open mind. I hope you liked today’s article regarding “when was sliced bread invented”? Thank you for your time! I hope it was with your time! Take care and be safe!
