Sara Lee Launches Six Varieties of Thick, Hearty Sandwich Breads with Great Taste and Whole-Grain Nutrition

15/09/06 Sara Lee Food & Beverage's latest addition to its growing line of fresh bread products are a natural fit for today's "want it all" consumer. New Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious breads are richly textured, thick slices that can hold up to the most robust ingredients for the ultimate sandwich experience. The product line addition includes three all-natural, 100 percent whole grain varieties and three made with whole grain varieties. The six varieties of Hearty & Delicious breads enter grocery stores today.

"Wide loaf breads are gaining in popularity because they serve as a foundation for people who are building hearty, creative sandwiches," said Bill Nictakis, president of Sara Lee Food & Beverage's U.S. Fresh Bakery. "We have developed a great combination of breads made with whole grain that provide consumers with the taste they prefer and the nutritional benefits they need."

All-Natural and Whole Grain

Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious All-Natural 100% Whole Grain breads are the company's first all-natural breads, offering an impressive 22 grams of whole grain per slice. The breads do not contain artificial colors, artificial flavors or chemical preservatives. The bread and its ingredients are not more than minimally processed. Sara Lee's all-natural breads use only whole-wheat or whole-grain flour and do not contain high fructose corn syrup as a sweetener.

The varieties are Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious All-Natural Whole Wheat; Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious All-Natural 100% Whole Wheat with Honey; and Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious All-Natural 100% Multigrain. A two-slice sandwich with Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious All-Natural 100% Whole Grain bread provides 44 grams of whole grain, which is 92 percent of the amount recommended in the Food Guide Pyramid.

Made with Whole Grain Breads

Sara Lee is also introducing three varieties of Hearty & Delicious Made with Whole Grain breads. These breads are three of 23 Sara Lee fresh bakery products that contain at least a good source of whole grain per serving while still delivering on taste.

The three wide loaves come in traditional flavors but are made with an 80-20 blend of refined white-bread flour and whole-grain flour. The varieties are Sara Lee Home-Style Buttermilk Bakery Bread Made with Whole Grain, Sara Lee Old-Fashioned Potato Bakery Bread Made with Whole Grain and Sara Lee Country Bakery Bread Made with Whole Grain. Each 43 gram slice has 5 grams of whole grain.

"These new Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious breads provide opportunities for consumers to increase their whole grain intake with every sandwich they eat," said Frances Coletta, R.D., Ph.D., director of product nutrition for Sara Lee Food & Beverage. "Importantly, these breads taste great which goes a long way in helping consumers make smart choices."

Sara Lee has successfully used its flour-blend strategy to introduce whole grain into white-style products without sacrificing the taste, texture and appearance that most Americans prefer. Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Made with Whole Grain White bread was introduced in July 2005 and has become the best-selling loaf of bread in the country. Sara Lee also has introduced a variety of other products that offer traditional tastes with whole grain nutrition including Sara Lee Made with Whole Grain Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns, Sara Lee Made with Whole Grain Plain Bagels and Sara Lee Made with Whole Grain Original English Muffins.

Research suggests eating whole-grain foods is associated with decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers and type-2 diabetes, and may help to support a healthy weight.