bake - July 2018 - 20

THE RBA THROUGH THE YEARS
1918 In the spring, a movement is

serves as the RBA president in

started to organize retail bakers

1984-1985.

into a national body and on July 16,
in Chicago, a temporary organiza-

1948 Open Kettle opens in Quincy,

fortune at the time) from a relative with a failed

tion is created with Eugene Lipp of

Massachusetts. Founder William

cigar box company, puts an oven in the back of the

Chicago as the president pro tem.

Rosenberg serves donuts for ﬁve

store, and begins to sell bread, breakfast sweets and

cents and premium cups of coffee

cookies. Joe and Daisie's grandson Page Busken

1922 The association holds its

for 10 cents. In 1950, Rosenberg

would serve as RBA president from 1981 to 1983.

annual convention on Sept. 13 in

decides to rename his restaurant

Chicago as part of a joint baker's

Dunkin' Donuts.

Fast forward to 1970. Page Busken joins his brother,
Joe Jr., in leading Busken Bakery. By then, breakfast

convention sponsored by the
American Baker's Association.

1958 The ﬁrst ARBA Little Miss

sweets and donuts from the bakery in Hyde Park

Wednesday is declared "Retail

Muffin contest is held. Throughout

had a 24/7 hold on the lives of most Cincinnatians.

Bakers Day."

the country, girls (6-10 years of

The brothers continue to add stores, new products

age) are chosen as Little Miss

and new services: corporate catering, fund-raising

1926 The association's name is

Muffins and the national winner is

programs and corporate gift-giving during the

changed to Associated Bakers of

announced at the annual ARBA

holiday season.

America, Retail and Wholesale.

convention.

1930s First mention of National

1958 The world's ﬁrst rack oven

to switch from production driven to marketing

Retail Bakers Week and celebra-

is invented and shortly after

driven," says Page Busken. "Before the '70s, whatever

tions continue until the late '70s.

produced by Revent.

you made, you sold."

1970s There are more than 30,000

In the 40 years that John Lupo has been a baker, the

retail bakeries in the US, and it's

current president of the Retail Bakers of America

1935 Under president Kuno

common for people to shop almost

has witnessed a dizzying array of changes. Few gas

Plehn's leadership, Sept. 9 marks

daily in their local bakeries.

stations sold donuts in 1978. Frozen puff dough and

"In the early 1970s, the retail bakery business began

By 1960, it's celebrated with a
"baker's dozen of days."

frozen cookie dough were just gaining momentum.

the establishment of permanent
headquarters of the association in

1988 First Certiﬁed Master Baker

The retail baking world was about to redeﬁne conve-

the form of the "Retail Research

(CMB) designation is awarded to

nience. "That was a game changer. Frozen puff

and Merchandising Department"

Wayne Ernst of New Jersey.

dough was a big time saver for us, and it opened
the ﬂoodgates for a whole bunch of items," recalls

located in Chicago.
1996 The Retailers Bakery

Lupo, who ﬁrst opened the doors to his bakery

1938 National Donut Day is created

Association (RBA), The Bread

(now Grandma's Bakery in White Bear Lake,

by The Salvation Army in Chicago

Bakers Guild of America (BBG) and

Minnesota) in 1978. "You could really broaden your

to help those in need during the

Dunwoody Institute of Minneapolis

offerings and work less hours."

Great Depression and to honor

in joint agreement open the

members who served donuts to

National Baking Center, housed at

Signature items at Roeser's Bakery, like their devil's

soldiers during World War I.

Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis. 

food hot milk sponge cake, have been the same

1939 General Mills engineer Helmer

2001 The National Baking Center at

early years, every item was made from scratch. But

Anderson creates the Anderson

Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis

that was before the baby boom and two-income

sealer, a new device that seals bags

closes its doors. The center, a kind

families. Roeser III's generation faced a higher popula-

of ﬂour with glue.

of elite graduate school for bread

tion and the onslaught of instore bakeries and Dunkin

and pastry makers, has trained

Donuts. "It wasn't competition with another bakery

1942 Sugar is in limited supply

more than 2,000 professionals

down the street," he says. "My generation was the

during World War II and is the ﬁrst

from around the world since it

transition into convenience."

food rationed by the U.S.

opened in 1996.

1944 At age 14, Bob Hiller buys his

2003 Jackie Scott becomes the

Philadelphia has polished its reputation as one of

ﬁrst bakery for $900. Hiller later

ﬁrst female president of RBA.

the leading Italian bakeries in the United States,

formula for as long as anyone can remember. In the

For three generations, Termini Brothers Bakery in

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