Policy
Bimbo Bakeries USA Commits to Removing Artificial Additives from Five Major Brands Within Five Years
Bimbo Bakeries USA announced a major commitment last week covering its five major brands: to gradually eliminate artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors from its products by the end of 2028. Among these, brands such as Artesano, Oroweat, and Rustik Oven will complete the transition first by the end of 2027, while brands like Sara Lee, Little Bites, and Thomas' English Muffins must meet the target by the end of 2028. The company claims to be the first in the baking industry to make such a commitment across such a broad product portfolio.
Bimbo Bakeries USA announced last week that it will remove artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors from its five core brands by the end of 2028. The company owns well-known baking brands such as Sara Lee and Oroweat.
Under the plan, sliced bread and hamburger buns from the Artesano and Oroweat brands, as well as the full product line of the Rustik Oven brand, will have artificial preservatives and emulsifiers removed by the end of 2027. By the end of 2028, Sara Lee, Oroweat specialty varieties, Little Bites, and Thomas' English muffins will also gradually phase out these ingredients.
Bimbo stated that it is the first company in the baking industry to make this commitment at such a broad product portfolio level. This move is also a continuation of the overall strategy of its parent company, Grupo Bimbo, which plans to remove artificial colors from its entire product portfolio by the end of this year. In late June, Grupo Bimbo announced it would remove synthetic colors and the preservative TBHQ from Takis, a snack brand popular with children.
The company explained that it prioritized reformulating bread products because bread plays a fundamental role in consumers' daily nutritional intake. This move is also expected to revitalize Sara Lee and other traditional sliced bread brands, which have seen sustained sales pressure in recent years amid competition from clean-label and healthier options.
"Bread remains one of the most nutritious, affordable, and accessible staples in the American diet, and we are proud of that," said Greg Koehrsen, president of Bimbo Bakeries USA, in a statement. "These commitments reflect our ongoing dedication to providing consumers with simple, clean products without compromising taste, nutrition, or value."
Packaged bread typically uses preservatives such as calcium propionate or sorbic acid to inhibit mold growth, and these additives are also one of the reasons bread is classified as an "ultra-processed food" under certain definitions. By removing preservatives and emulsifiers, Bimbo may be trying to take regulatory initiative ahead of ongoing discussions at the FDA and U.S. states about the definition of ultra-processed foods.
According to research by ADM, more than half of consumers believe that offering healthier food options is a top priority. However, reformulation is often not simply a matter of removing ingredients—food manufacturers frequently need to rebuild entire formulations to meet strict clean-label requirements.
Notably, the baking industry has made progress in eliminating certain ingredients questioned by consumers. For example, the industry has committed to fully phasing out flour bleaching agents and the dough conditioner azodicarbonamide (ADC, sometimes jokingly called the "yoga mat chemical") by the end of this year. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently reassessing the safety of this chemical and its potential impact on public health.