TORONTO, Feb. 9, 2012, 2012 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) --Thinking of celebrating February 9(th) with a toasted, bagel topped with cream cheese?

You're not alone.

According to Dempster's® Bagel Barometer, six out of 10 Canadians eat bagels on a regular basis with nearly a quarter eating these circular delicacies daily or several times a week. To celebrate National Bagel Day 2012, Dempster's has launched a new bagel recipe and partnered with well-known chef and bagel fan, Bob Blumer to uncover Canada's most passionate bagel-lovers and find out what an ultimate Canadian bagel's defining qualities are. You may be surprised by the answers.

Bagels are a very personal food. The texture, flavour and top-ability all contribute to the ultimate bagel, says chef and culinary adventurer Bob Blumer. "As a card-carrying bagel lover, I'm not surprised that millions of Canadians get their bagel on every day and are dedicated to their particular rituals for toasting, topping and eating - finding the right bagel changes everything!"

Canadian Bagel Lovers Have Their Say

So who loves their bagels the most? It was a close call, but Canada's most bagel-loving province is Ontario at 66 per cent, closely followed by Atlantic Canada (61%), and Alberta (59%) in third place. The majority of Canadians (90%) also prefer to go toasted, with one-third topping them with cream cheese.

And when it comes to the ultimate Canadian bagel "must haves", we're very particular with even toasting (59%), freshness (57%), and variety (47%) rounding out the top three. Followed closely is a 'crispy, crunchy crust' and 'soft and fluffy inside' (42%), and the ability to hold all toppings (33%). There's no denying it - Canadians are passionate about their bagels.

The Dempster's Bagel Barometer also revealed personality differences between Canadian bagel lovers, with nearly six out of 10 falling into the "Craver" category. Whether it's a hankering for a bagel's crunchy soft texture, to try something different or to satisfy hunger, the Craver chooses bagels to tantalize their taste buds - so it has to be just right. And that's not all! One-quarter of us are "Energizers" who to start our day with a bagel fuel up; the remaining are in one of two camps: "Connoisseurs", who take the time to create delicious new ways to enjoy their bagels, and "Purists" who eat bagels the same way every time.

The Way a Bagel Should BeTM

The good news is Dempster's has created their new recipe with Canadian taste buds in mind. Baked fresh daily in Canada and now available in grocery stores nationally, these bagels start with premium, quality ingredients and natural flavours such as 100 per cent Canadian wheat and real fruit and spices. And for those seeking variety, Dempster's has a bagel for everyone with seven tasty flavours including: Plain, Sesame, 100% Whole Wheat, 12 Grain, Everything, Cinnamon Raisin and Blueberry. The result is a bagel perfect for toasting that's crispy on the outside, yet stays soft and fluffy on the inside!

"I tick off all the boxes of bagel fanaticism, so I totally connect with the fact that beginning with the right bagel and adding your favourite toppings is an instantly gratifying form of personal expression," Blumer goes on to say. "And while the majority of Canadians prefer cream cheese, butter or smoked salmon, working with the variety of Dempster's bagels and the Canadian bagel personality profiles has given me the opportunity to look beyond the classics and create some new combinations inspired by my culinary travels. Check out these fast 'n' flavorful recipes on the Dempster's Facebook page!"

Try the NEW Dempster's Bagel for Yourself

Dempster's will be taking their new recipe on the road this February and March with their delectable Dempster's Pop Up Bakery - a larger than life toaster - which will be making its way across the country to serve delicious samples to Canadians. Whether topped with cream cheese, butter, or jam, Dempster's Bagels Toast Up Tour will offer a taste for everyone in markets including Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Winnipeg and Vancouver. And for those who want to meet Bob Blumer and find out his favourite variety, he'll be on-hand in Toronto's Yonge & Dundas Square on National Bagel Day (February 9(th)) from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Check out Facebook.com/Dempster's for more information and location details.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted by Harris / Decima from December 1(st) to December 4(th), 2011 via telephone based on a randomly selected sample of 1,000 Canadians ages 18+. The margin of error for a sample of this size is +/- 3.1%.

About Canada Bread/Dempster's

As "Canada's bakery", Dempster's has been nourishing Canadians since James Dempster founded both the company and the tradition of baking nutritious and great tasting breads over 100 years ago. All Dempster's breads are made with 100% Canadian Wheat and are baked fresh daily. For more information visit: www.dempsters.caor www.facebook.com/dempsters.

To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2012/09/c9513.html

SOURCE: Canada Bread Company, Limited

Jordana Wolch / Kaitlin Hazen Environics Communications 416-969-2666 / 416-969-2777
jwolch@environicspr.com /khazen@environicspr.com