La Brea Bakery has committed to transitioning its entire line of artisan bread to non-G.M.O. by the end of the year, an initiative the company said will make it the first non-G.M.O. artisan bread line available in North America.

“At La Brea Bakery, we have always been committed to using pure, responsibly sourced ingredients,” said Kristina Dermody, president of La Brea Bakery. “As leaders in the artisan bread industry for more than 25 years, it makes sense for us to take on the challenge of going non-G.M.O. across the board. We know this is something that consumers are looking for and reacting to: they want to feel good about the foods they eat, and this is another step for us in that direction. Our entire bread portfolio will be 100% non-G.M.O. by the end of the year, making us the first North American artisan bread company to do so.”

Ms. Dermody said the transition to non-G.M.O. has been made easier by the fact the ingredients La Brea Bakery uses are “simple and straightforward.”

“It made the transition much easier because our ingredient lists are not long and daunting,” she said. “Of course, there are always issues that come up, but we have a great supplier network that stepped up to the plate.”

A number of La Brea Bakery’s bread products already are certified non-G.M.O. by the Non-GMO Project (for full list, click click here), Ms. Dermody said. La Brea Bakery will transition the rest of the products that aren’t already non-G.M.O. throughout the year, with the entire bread portfolio 100% non-G.M.O. by Dec. 31.

Ms. Dermody said La Brea Bakery has made the commitment to going non-G.M.O. without having to raise its prices.

“This is an investment we are making in our brand to stay relevant with consumer eating patterns,” she explained. “Since our ingredients are already very pure and free from any artificial ingredients and flavors, the changes for us were less drastic.”

Going forward, Ms. Dermody said La Brea Bakery will continue to work to provide even more transparency in its ingredients.

“We know people want to know where their food comes from and feel good about what they are feeding their families,” she said. “La Brea Bakery will be making an announcement soon that will change the way we think about bread. It is going to be an exciting year.”

Founded in 1989, La Brea Bakery offers a range of bread varieties in its portfolio, including dinner and sandwich rolls, baguettes and batards, ciabatta, focaccia, loaves, rounds, ovals, flatbreads, and Take & Bake bread. La Brea Bakery bread and food is available in more than 6,500 grocery stores in all 50 states and Canada.