Prefer Wheat Bread to White

Shoppers Increasingly Prefer Wheat Bread to White

There is new reason for Michael Pollan to celebrate, Consumerist reported on Sunday: Wheat bread with "natural" in the title or whole grains visible through clear packaging is now almost as popular as white bread in the United States. "Packaged wheat bread recently surpassed white bread in dollar sales, according to Nielsen Co. For the 52 weeks ended July 10, wheat bread sales increased 0.6 percent to $2.6 billion, while white bread sales declined 7 percent to $2.5 billion," the Chicago Tribune reported. White bread, which is significantly cheaper than most wheat products, still moved more units. Analysts expect that the demand for white bread will remain flat and the bread market as a whole will grow as consumers pick up more loaves of wheat. "Flooded with messages about heart health, fiber intake and the need for omega-3s, more consumers are looking for bread that can taste good and deliver nutrients," the Tribune reported. "That's why shopping for sliced bread is increasingly about one of two things: what's affordable, and what seems healthiest." Nature's Own, Arnold and Nature's Pride are among the brands currently performing best at grocery stores.

Read original story in Consumerist | Monday, Aug. 2, 2010