ST. LOUIS — AB Mauri North America is sponsoring Sliced Bread Day in Chillicothe, Mo., on July 7. The event marks the 90th anniversary of when The Chillicothe Baking Co. became the first commercial bakery in the United States to offer machine-sliced bread for sale.

“We take sliced bread for granted but this was a huge leap forward for bakers in the early 20th century,” said Rick Oleshak, vice-president of marketing, AB Mauri North America. “Any way you slice it, this is a part of American and baking history, and we’re proud to lend our support.”

As part of Sliced Bread Day, a French toast breakfast will be held, followed by a 5K run. Later in the day a parade through the city center will take place. Other events scheduled for the day include a bread baking contest, a historic preservation display and live music performances.

“It is exciting to celebrate the 90th anniversary of sliced bread in our local Chillicothe community, and this year’s lineup of activities is better than ever,” said Amy Supple, director, Visit Chillicothe. “We’re especially thrilled to add such a recognizable and relevant brand like Fleischmann’s Yeast to the mix since we both have strong roots here in Missouri.”

The Fleischmann’s Yeast brand is the oldest baker’s yeast company and the first standardized commercial yeast in the United States. Introduced in 1868 by Charles Fleischmann and his brother, Maximilian, Fleischmann’s Yeast is now part of AB Mauri’s portfolio of products. This year marks the brand’s 150th anniversary.