Sliced bread was developed in the early 20th century to make bread more convenient. Otto Rohwedder invented a machine in 1917 that could slice bread, but commercial production began in 1928 at the Chilicothe Baking Company. Slicing bread using a conveyor belt with razor sharp blades allowed bread to be precut and easy for consumers to use. Sliced bread became a staple household item and is considered a major breakthrough in baking convenience.