The Roman Meal Company was founded on the desire of Canadian physician Robert Jackson to emulate what he believed to be the healthy regimen of Roman soldiers, who purportedly consumed two pounds of wheat or rye a day as part of their rations. Jackson started the company with a hot mixed-grain breakfast cereal called Dr. Jackson's Roman Health Meal. In 1927, Jackson's company was purchased by Tacoma master baker William Matthaei. Matthaei's family had been in the baking business since the first family bakery was opened in Germany in 1686.
Matthaei brought bread into the Roman Meal company mix and it continues to be a major focus for the family-owned company. The rights to the Roman Meal Trademark for bread, buns & rolls in North America was sold to Flowers Foods in early 2015. Roman Meal bread is baked locally and distributed in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong.
