Wheat Edges Past White in Sliced Bread Sales

With their perceived better-for-you ingredients, whole grains have become hot in breads this year.

August 03, 2010

DOWNERS GROVER, IL - Any way you slice it, whole wheat bread is hot right now. Whole wheat bread has soared passed white bread in sliced bread sales for the first time, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Consumers seem to be paying more attention to healthier breads, such as whole grains, which has been a boon for breads labeled "whole grain" and "natural." Brands like Arnold, Nature??s Own and Nature??s Pride are among the best-performing breads at supermarkets.

According to Nielsen Co., for the 52 weeks ending July 10, wheat bread sales jumped 0.6 percent to reach $2.6 billion, while white bread sales dropped 7 percent to reach $2.5 billion. White bread still edges out wheat in terms of volume, but that disparity is lessening. U.S. consumers purchased 1.5 billion packages of white bread during the last year?"a 3 percent drop. Americans bought 1.3 billion packages of wheat bread?"a 5 percent advance.

Squeezed in the middle are the mid-priced brands, such as Sara Lee, which has placed its bread business on the for-sale block. Sara Lee bread brands have fallen 10 percent over the past 52 weeks, according to SymphonyIRI Group. Other brands have slipped, too, including Bimbo??s Oroweat (10 percent drop), Bimbo??s Stroehmann (6 percent decrease) and Hostess?? Wonder bread (5 percent decline).

As a hole, sliced-bread sales plunged 3 percent to reach $6.5 billion during the same 52-week period. Nature??s Own sales rose 3 percent during the last year to reach $416 million.

U.S. bread consumption is predicted to stay the same; the increased interest in whole grains has given the bread industry a way to grow its business with niche customers.

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