Arnold®, Brownberry® and Oroweat® Breads Announce the $25,000 Grand Prize Winner of the Inaugural "America's Better Sandwich" Contest

HORSHAM, Pa., Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Arnold®, Brownberry® and Oroweat® Breads are celebrating National Sandwich Day by crowning Mary Hawkes of Prescott, Arizona "Sandwich Queen" in the first-ever "America's Better Sandwich" Contest for her Fast 'N' Fresh Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich.

"As a self-proclaimed foodie and lover of sandwiches, I was so excited when I saw the opportunity to win $30,000 for a better-for-you sandwich using whole grain bread," said Mary Hawkes, Grand Prize Winner of the Arnold®, Brownberry® and Oroweat® Bread "America's Better Sandwich" Contest. "I'm humbled by the support I received from online voters and will be donating a portion of my winnings to a program that feeds senior citizens in my area."

Hawkes' sandwich masterpiece included a high dose of protein from lean chicken, yogurt and almonds accompanied by fresh carrots, grapes, apples and spinach for a nutritious, flavor-filled punch. Her sandwich creation propelled her to the top in the "Fueling Good" category and ultimately led her to become the reigning victor of more than a thousand sandwich submissions.

In addition to the $25,000 Grand Prize, Arnold®, Brownberry® and Oroweat® Breads are awarding $5,000 to the Sandwich Architects that were best in their sandwich categories, including:

• "Fueling Good" category winner: Mary H. (Prescott, AZ) for her Fast 'N' Fresh Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich
• "Creative Classic" category winner: Edwina G. (Hayden, ID) for her Asian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich with Slaw
• "Stealthily Simple" category winner: Randolph F. (Waianae, HI) for his Pacific Crab Sandwich
• "Meatless Marvel" category winner: Christina B. (Houston, TX) for her Summer Peach and Arugula Panini

"We were blown away by the creativity and caliber of recipes we received in the 'America's Better Sandwich' Contest that paired our whole grain breads with out-of-the-box sandwich ingredients," said Aubrecia Houston, Brand Manager at Arnold®, Brownberry® and Oroweat® Breads. "Mary Hawkes' Fast 'N' Fresh Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich truly embodied a better-for-you sandwich that's packed with whole grains and nutrition, as well as bold flavors."

Sandwich recipes entered into the "America's Better Sandwich" Contest were judged on criteria such as taste, creativity, nutritional analysis and consumer votes. Nationally recognized dietitians were enlisted to help taste and score each recipe and later today Arnold®, Brownberry® and Oroweat® Breads will be teaming up with chefs across the country- Chef Fabio Viviani in Chicago, Chef Michael Schwartz in Miami, Chef Kevin Gillespie in Atlanta, Chef Hosea Rosenberg in Denver and Chef Tiffany Derry in Dallas- to serve the winning sandwich at local YMCA's and Boys & Girls Clubs.

These renowned chefs will be teaching an audience of children how to make better-for-you sandwiches and Arnold®, Brownberry® and Oroweat® Bread will continue the celebration of whole grains all-month long with bread donations to each respective club.

For more information on the "America's Better Sandwich" Contest and to view the winning recipes, please visit: www.AmericasBetterSandwich.com.

About Bimbo Bakeries USA

Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU) is a leader in the baking industry, known for its category leading brands, innovative products, freshness and quality. Our team of more than 23,000 U.S. associates operates more than 60 manufacturing locations in the United States. Our distribution routes deliver our leading brands such as Arnold®, Bimbo®, Boboli®, Brownberry® Entenmann's®, Francisco®, Freihofer's®, Heiners®, Marinela®, Mrs Baird's®, Oroweat®, Sara Lee®, Stroehmann®, Thomas'®, and Tia Rosa®.

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SOURCE Bimbo Bakeries USA