The deceptively simple pairing of creamy avo on crunchy bread started to take hold in the early 1990s, when Sydney chef Bill Granger added it to the menu of his trendy Darlinghurst café. But it was the American actress, author, health activist and founder of lifestyle company Goop that sent the humble dish into the stratosphere. In the 2013 print of It’s All Good, Paltrow advocated the holy trinity of vegan mayo, a few slices of perfectly ripe avo and Maldon salt, atop toasted slices of gluten-free bread.
Millennials went wild, avo toast went viral and variations on the theme escalated, from adding Cholula hot sauce to being topped with fluffy grated eggs and swapping out toast for roasted sweet potatoes. The internet loved the unctuous fruit – which, in fact, was first domesticated in Mesoamerica more than 5,000 years ago – and there was even a change.org campaign to introduce an avo emoji. The reason it went viral? It hooked into the fast-growing health trend. Avos burst with all the good things like protein, omega 3 fatty acids (good fats) and essential nutrients (more potassium than a banana), and also the perfect antioxidant, vegetarian, gluten-free and feel good – about themselves and the ailing planet – ingredient that Millennials were craving.
One whole avo – without the skin and seed – packs in:
- Calories: 322 calories
- Protein: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Folate: 163μg
- Vitamin K: 42μg
- Vitamin C: 20mg
- Vitamin E: 4mg
- Potassium: 975mg
- Magnesium: 58mg
But while serious foodies were experimenting with what was on top, not much attention was given to what was below. Until now.
Enter the ABC
“We are excited to officially launch our one-of-a-kind line of avocado bread products under The Avocado Bread Company,” said Ben Rizzitello, VP of Marketing for Anthony & Sons Bakery.
“Our delicious avocado bread is packed with 21 grams of whole grains per slice, making this line the latest power bread to hit the market. The initial response has been tremendous, and we are looking forward to getting our newly introduced products into the homes of consumers.”
The star of ABC’s launch is an Avocado Seeds & Grains Bread – made with ripe avocados and an original blend of guacamole spices – and backed up with Avocado Seeds & Grains Dinner Rolls, Take & Bake Avocado Bread and Avocado Seeds & Grains Ciabatta Buns.
Sold in a sliced 24oz loaf, the Avocado Seeds & Grains Bread is designed for easy convenience (targeting both retail and foodservice channels). Also appealing is the functional benefits of the range, including powerhouse nutrients like healthy fats, fibre, antioxidants and whole grains (sunflower, oats and cracked wheat).
However, the real hook is the embodiment of today’s culinary trends.
Plant-based
The ABC is pioneering a unique take on the avo, opening opportunities for other bakers to explore this trend.
Clean label
The ABC’s focus on clean ingredient products is right up there with health, sustainability and hygge.
Functional benefits
Today’s consumer wants more than just a snack that quells a craving or a baked good that fills a hole. They’re looking for ingredients that add nutritional value and health benefits: think food as medicine.
Taste exploration
No matter what’s trending, taste remains the consumer’s biggest motivator. But beyond just tasting good, they are looking for something that invokes escape, excitement, nostalgia and exploration.
“For us, it’s about developing a product that our customers will enjoy and offers great benefits,” said Rizzitello.
“We care about our community and the health and wellbeing of our customers. We treat our patrons like family.”
Baked in
Anthony & Sons’ passion for baking bread is woven into the family fabric.
After immigrating to the US in 1952 and spending 32 years perfecting the art of baking bread, Sicilian national Anthony Dattolo and sons Baldo and Joseph opened their first manufacturing plant in Fairfield, using recipes handed down from their European heritage to bring the flavour of Little Italy to New Jersey. In 2000, the bakery manufacturer inaugurated a 65,000 square foot fully automated facility in Denville, producing a range of authentic Italian breads and rolls for the wholesale, hospitality, foodservice and retail channel across the US.
The first Anthony & Sons Little Italy bakery-café opened in 2008 – becoming one of the most renowned café markets in the local area – which inspired a second location a few years later. But despite its success, the company remains focused on producing traditional, hand scored artisan breads for mass distribution without artificial flavours or additives.
“We are the leaders when it comes to developing products with clean, natural, non-GMO and zero trans-fat ingredients,” said Rizzitello.
A boast the company has transferred to its avo bread line.
“We test our ingredients constantly,” said Rizzitello, who is also a professional baker.
“We’re extremely selective about what goes into our products, testing all of the components that give the breads and rolls their flavour, light crumb and crisp crust. It’s very intricate.”
Social consciousness is also baked into every crumb of Anthony & Sons Bakery products. In addition to embracing the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s forest management standard – protecting wildlife habitats and promoting – the company is a member of how2recycle, a smart packaging labelling system that encourages consumers to recycle.
“Anthony & Sons has proven to be the leader in innovation and has transformed the bread-baking industry. Our vision for the company is to continue to be the trendsetters and aggressively grow with the latest innovation, quality products, and service.”
The Avocado Bread Company’s Seeds & Grains Bread is available in select grocers across the US for an RRP of $5.99-$6.99.
