How Sara Lee Revolutionised Baked Foods

Remember the popular slogan "Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee?"

The Lisarow, Australia-based dessert maker went into voluntary administration on Oct 18, 2023.

But did you know they had revolutionised the baked foods industry? With one single game-changing innovation? 70 years ago?

Starting 1935, founder Charles Lubin bought and ran a chain of local bakeries. Called Community Bake Shops. In Chicago. Growing from the original three stores to seven.

In 1949, Charles renamed them Kitchens of Sara Lee. After his daughter Sara Lee Lubin.

Their operation remained limited. To Chicago neighbourhoods.

Then came 1952. A visiting overseas buyer asked Charles to ship his products to Texas.

Seriously?

Sara Lee cheesecakes and pound cakes were freshly baked. And, hence, perishable. They couldn't remain frozen for so long. And would never last the voyage. Such an idea was unprecedented.

Until then.

By 1953, Charles implemented a process of flash-freezing (or snap-freezing) his products after baking them. Without compromising on taste. Or on quality. By locking the freshness in.

He also developed aluminium foil packaging. In which to bake as well as ship them. Saving time and cost in production and distribution. In which consumers could store them directly. And even serve themselves! In those very same tins or pans!

How could you beat that?

This technology changed Sara Lee's fortunes radically.

From selling through a handful corner bakeries to wholesale distribution via groceries.

Thereby making mass production of baked foods viable. On an industrial scale. For the first time in history.

That's what made 'frozen fresh' so special!

Charles soon appointed franchisees extending up to a 300-mile radius of Chicago.

By 1954, Sara Lee was available in 48 states of the US.

They weren't done yet. :)

By 1962, Sara Lee was selling its cakes and pastries nationwide. Transported in commercial freezer trucks. Or in chiller vans. Or even in railcars. And delivered directly to the frozen produce sections of national supermarkets.

Consumers who bought the cakes would, in turn, preserve them in refrigerators-cum-freezers. Which several million American households already owned by then.

In a 1968 TV commercial, Sara Lee subtly demonstrated the aluminum foil baking pan as a permanent package for their banana cake.

In case you're wondering ...

Sara Lee baking foils as well as outer cardboard packaging are 100% recyclable today.

So whenever you next eat your favourite sticky date pudding straight out of a disposable foil container, remember it was Sara Lee. Who started it all!

Until next time!