When Middle Eastern immigrants began moving to the United States in large numbers in the 1970s, they introduced Americans to their cuisine. Pita bread became a popular bread choice, especially because the absence of shortening and the small amounts of sugar make it a low-fat food. By the 1990s, the wholesale pita bread market was nearing $80 million in yearly sales. Most of the pita is baked by specialty bakeries in the East, West and Midwest. Commerical pitas are typically baked with unbleached all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour. They range in size from 4-10 in (10.16-25.4 cm) in diameter.