Modern times: From 1965 to 2021, here's a journey of iconic bread

Brand Modern has several firsts to its credit. It was the first branded bread, launched more than half a century ago by the government

Wrapped in blue and orange wax paper, it’s a familiar sight on the shelves of kirana stores across the country. Given how well travelled and mobile it is — starting its journey in Chennai, then turning to Singapore and now landing in Mexico — you could say it lives up to its name: Modern.

Modern Food Enterprises, the company that manufactures and sells the bread in question as well as other bakery products under the “Modern” brand name, has recently been sold to the world’s largest baking company, Grupo Bimbo, for an undisclosed amount.

This latest transaction is the second change of