A New York–style bagel is always boiled in water that has had barley malt added, which gives a bagel its signature taste, texture, and leathery skin.

a regular bagel is the water you boil them in. Much like a specific vineyard terroir is used to make a wine, certain minerals in New York City tap water are attributed to creating the best bagels. These include low concentrations of calcium and magnesium and a high level of sediment.

In May 2014 New York Bakery Company was integrated into and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Grupo Bimbo, the largest baking company in the world. Grupo Bimbo was originally established in Mexico City in 1945 as a family business.

While there is debate over just when the first bagels appeared, historians agree that the bread originally arrived in New York in the late 19th century. The bagel grew in popularity in Manhattan's Lower East Side in neighborhoods populated by Jewish immigrants from Poland, where it had been made for centuries.