Bimbo Bakeries USA pledges sweeping portfolio commitments to advance clean-label initiative
The initiative builds on prior progress, including the near-complete elimination of artificial colors and flavors from many bread, bun and breakfast items.
USA – Bimbo Bakeries USA, the nation’s largest commercial baking company, has announced a massive, multi-year initiative to eliminate artificial ingredients across its extensive portfolio of iconic brands.
By the end of 2028, Sara Lee, Oroweat speciality varieties, Little Bites and Thomas’ will complete the removal of artificial preservatives and emulsifiers, meaning these brands will be entirely free of artificial preservatives, colours, and flavours within less than two years.
This sweeping overhaul represents a definitive response to shifting consumer preferences that demand higher nutritional value and greater transparency on food labels, setting a significant precedent within the commercial baking sector.
The strategy will take effect across several phases to ensure product consistency and quality are maintained.
The earliest changes will target occasional-consumption goods, including various sweet baked goods and snacks, which are on track to be completely free of artificial colors by the conclusion of 2026.
Following this initial rollout, everyday staples such as Artesano, Oroweat, and The Rustik Oven products will transition by the end of 2027 to eliminate artificial preservatives and emulsifiers.
Prominent brands like Thomas’ and Sara Lee are also slated for key formula updates throughout the initiative.
Bimbo Bakeries USA already manufactures its core daily-consumption breads, buns, and rolls without artificial colours or flavours.
Company leaders emphasized that the upcoming phase of recipe alteration focuses heavily on maintaining nutritional fortification, a critical element that safeguards necessary vitamins and minerals for families.
“Our Purpose is to nourish a Better World, and that begins with the products we put on American tables every single day,” said Greg Koehrsen, President, Bimbo Bakeries USA.
“These commitments reflect our belief that quality and nutrition aren’t just what consumers expect, they’re what consumers deserve.”
The bold timeline aims to secure the company’s position as the first major commercial baking entity to adopt such a broad, clean-label commitment across an expansive product selection.
This initiative aligns with a larger global wellness push spearheaded by the parent company, Grupo Bimbo.
The parent organization was recently recognized by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) as one of the top food companies worldwide for its dedication to product quality and affordable nutrition.
The American division’s transition serves as a core blueprint for the company’s broader objective to rely exclusively on simple, natural recipes globally by 2030.
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