Who is Otto Frederick Rohwedder?
By Bensen32
@Bensen32 (28658)
United States
December 11, 2019 2:00pm CST
I just read a post by @1hopefulman in which asked about accomplishments and failures of man and it reminded me of this. One of the greatest accomplishments of man that became a little saying that I jokingly use quite a bit and maybe you have too.
"the best thing since sliced bread" Have you heard this saying? Do you know who this man was that accomplished this?
Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the first single loaf bread-slicing machine. His first prototype was made in 1912 but was destroyed by a fire but in 1928 he had the first working machine.
On July 7th 1928, the Chillicothe Baking Company out of Missouri sold the first slices. Also in 1928, W.E. Long who promoted the Holsum Bread brand pioneered and promoted the packaging of sliced bread.
It wasn't till 1930 that Wonder Bread took the sliced bread idea nation wide.
In the 1930's America started to consume more bread due to the convenience of the pre-sliced and packaged bread. So much so that on 18th of January 1943 the U.S. ban on sliced bread went into affect. The idea was to save on flour and reduce the cost of bread and also to save on the use of wax paper. This was met with many complains, so much so that in New York City, Mayor LaGuardia made a statement that those bakeries that had slicing machines could continue to use them.
The ban met with such resistance across the country that on the 8th of March 1943 the band was lifted. Sliced bread was available again across the country.
As a bread lover I am very thankful that Mr. Rohwedder came up with this idea. It sure made making toast and sandwiches so much easier.
9 people like this
9 responses

@Bensen32 (28658)
• United States
12 Dec 19
@LadyDuck yea, just think about all the inventions that have made life easier. There are to many to name, like everything really. Pretty much everything invented was made to make things easier or faster, I mean why would you invent something to make things harder to do. That sounds like something the government would do LOL
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@Nakitakona (59987)
• Philippines
12 Dec 19
Thanks for this info. I never thought that Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the slicing bread machine. I thought sliced breads are manually done.
1 person likes this
@samysotelo18 (7743)
• Mexico
11 Dec 19
I didin't know it was him who invented that!
I love bread!
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@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
12 Dec 19
I bet that many are grateful for his invention.

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@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
11 Dec 19
I never knew the history of sliced bread. I had heard the old saying.
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