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Like Tiger Bread (discussed here yesterday), Hillbilly Bread was/is produced by various regional bakeries around the United States. Each bakery is allowed to add its own company imprint to the label.
Thus Hillbilly Bread might be produced by Nickles Bakery in one region and a completely different bakery in another part of the country. The basic label, however, remains identical, thus preserving the brand’s strong equity.
Locally, my mom bought Hillbilly Bread every once in a while at the Nickles Bakery outlet store on W. 21st Street.
(Hillbilly Bread was one of my first blog topics back in April 2009 here.)
Hillbilly Bread seemed to first appear in the early 1960s. A short blurb in the Honolulu Star Bulletin on Feb. 2, 1964 noted, “Another new bread product has been introduced to Hawaii.
Hillbilly Bread seemed to first appear in the early 1960s. A short blurb in the Honolulu Star Bulletin on Feb. 2, 1964 noted, “Another new bread product has been introduced to Hawaii.
“It is Hillbilly bread made from an old bread mix which contains such nourishing and high protein ingredients as old fashioned oatmeal, fresh milled bran, toasted soya grits, hearty crushed wheat, husky corn flour, molasses and honey. The combination of these ingredients give Hillbillly bread a country type flavor and texture not found in regular white or brown bread.
“Hillbilly bread is made locally by Holsum (Hawaii) Baking, Inc."
Here’s an early newspaper ad. It ran in the April 16, 1964 edition of the Eureka Humboldt Standard. Note that the hillbilly character leaning on the sign is holding a rifle.
Here’s an ad from two years later. It’s much more sophisticated than the other ad. This one ran in the News Herald on October 4, 1966.
Here's a 1968 print ad (below) that ran in the pages of the Denver newspaper.
Finally, by 1982 the hillbilly character is no longer holding a rifle. It’s become a fishing pole, as seen in this ad that ran in the Wausau Daily Herald in early March 1982.
Lorain’s Nickles Bakery outlet store – where I bought Hillbilly Bread – closed back in 2010 (which I sadly wrote about here). But a quick look on the internet shows that Hillbilly Bread is still around in 2018, sold in some Walmarts and other national chains.
9 comments:
I remember Hillbilly bread. I could’ve sworn there used to be a packaged cornmeal based bread by Brownberry, but I’ave never been able to find any evidence of it on the internet.
I love the Monty Python air of the commercial. Didn't know the brand was still around.
That cornmeal bread sounds familiar.
Your post today got me thinking of the bread we ate as kids in the early 1950s, Wonder Bread. My main memory was related to the Howdy Doody TV show, of which Wonder Bread was a sponsor. Over the course of several years Wonder Bread included many different Howdy Doody collectibles with their bread. One that I particularly remember was a circus themed promotion. It included a poster with a circus theme printed on it, with blank spaces left to fill with the various Howdy Doody characters which were included with each loaf of bread. It probably sold a lot of Wonder bread. Although I was only about 5 years old, I still remember many of the puppet characters, Flub a Dub, Phineas T. Bluster, Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring, and many others. Now If I could only remember where I left my glasses 15 minutes ago!
Just as Tiger Bread was inspired by Tony the Tiger, Hillbilly Bread would seem to have been inspired by Al Capp and Li'l Abner.
It's surprising that Hillbilly Bread is still around, considering that the term "hillbilly" has been considered derogatory for many years.
One usually doesn't associate the word "colossal" with hillbillies. "It's a big'un" might be a better slogan. ;)
--Roger Andout
Please sale Hillbilly bread in Kingsport, Tn. Can I order it on line.
There was it was calked “Toaster Bread” they also had an English Muffin Bread
I live in Alabama, where can I find Hillbilly bread? I’d love for my grandchildren to see why I remember some special things from my childhood
I live in Beaverton Michigan on the weekends, I buy Hillbilly Bread from the Dollar General store or the local grocery store and the bread smells moldy right off the shelf and only lasts for a few days then it's not eatable. During the week I live in Traverse City Michigan where I work, , I buy the Hillbilly bread up here at Dollar General, Meijer's, Walmart, The bread is fresh and stays fresh for over three weeks ??? Here in Traverse City, the bread comes from Fort Wayne Indiana. I'll have to check when I get back home this weekend to see where the bread comes from in Beaverton Michigan. Or is Beaverton getting out dated bread ??? I only eat Hillbilly Bread ! Nothing else compares.
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