Freihofer’s Swedish Bread

Anyone of a certain age (which is to say, my age or more) probably has fond memories of Freihofer’s, when it was a very important local brand, perhaps the local brand of bread and cakes. It was delivered, first by horsewagon and then by truck, right to our homes; we would put a sign with the Freihofer’s logo in the windows and the driver would know to make a stop on his route. It sponsored various radio shows and the very popular “Freddie Freihofer” children’s show on WRGB-TV. And its bakeries were popular elementary school field trips.

This ad from 1931 proclaims the wonder of Freihofer’s Swedish Health Bread, which stayed fresh four times longer, and kept the system properly regulated, “but so naturally that you hardly realize it.” (Decades before poop-yogurt, I’ll have you know.)

Note that local radio station WOKO featured “Freihofer’s Bakerboy Chester Gaylord” and the Bakermaids. WOKO was the first commercial station in Albany; the call letters now belong to a Burlington, Vermont station.