Wonder Balloon
It’s a little known fact that Wonder Bread and hot air balloons have
a relationship that dates back to the early days of the Taggart Baking
Company.
In 1921 Elmer Kline, an Indianapolis bakery manager, was put in charge of naming a new 1.5 pound bread loaf that Taggart began baking. Unable to come up with a catchy name, Kline was enlightened one day as he roamed the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the International Balloon Festival. Before him, floating across the sky, were hot air balloons in every color of the rainbow. Kline later said that he was struck with a sense of “awe and wonderment,” by the beauty of the multi-colored balloons. From that day, the nameless 1.5 pound loaf of bread came to be known as Wonder.
Today, Wonder Bread still recognizes its balloon heritage. In recognition of Wonder Bread’s 80th birthday in 2001, Interstate Bakeries Corporation began touring the Wonder Bread hot air balloon. Every summer the Wonder balloon travels across the country in various balloon festivals.
So keep your eyes on the sky, and maybe one day you’ll see the Wonder balloon float by.