Local
Richmond Safeway bakery closure puts 92 workers in its path
Safeway plans to close its Richmond bread plant on Dec. 30, affecting 92 employees, according to a state-required notice. The company says some workers will be offered other jobs, but has not explained the closure or said where its stores will get branded bread afterward.
Safeway plans to permanently close its bread plant at 905 South 34th St. in Richmond on Dec. 30, 2026, a move expected to affect 92 employees, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed Oct. 20.
The plant opened in 1965. Albertsons Companies, Safeway’s parent, said a limited number of employees would be offered other positions, but did not say how many or identify where those jobs would be. The company has not explained why it is closing the facility or where Bay Area Safeway stores will source their branded bread afterward.
The closure comes as Albertsons faces financial pressure. The company reported a decline in comparable sales in its latest quarterly results and withdrew its 2026 forecast. CEO Susan Morris told investors earlier this month that the company planned what she called “aggressive action” over the next 12 to 18 months, without specifying where layoffs would occur.
Albertsons is also suing Kroger for $8 billion over the collapse of their proposed merger, alleging Kroger did not sell enough stores to secure regulatory approval.
The Richmond announcement follows Safeway’s plan to close its San Jose store at 6150 Bollinger Road by Nov. 13, after 57 years. Other recent Bay Area Safeway closures have included locations in Pinole, Hayward, Vallejo and San Francisco’s Fillmore District.