WEST HAZLETON, PA. — Bimbo Bakeries USA, a subsidiary of Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV, is temporarily reopening its Stroehmann Brothers baking plant in the Valmont Industrial Park in West Hazleton. The plant will be open at least through Labor Day to accommodate increased demand for bread caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, BBU said.

The plant employed 157 when it was closed in September 2019. At the time, BBU said it would be more efficient to redistribute production to other bakeries in its system to better meet market demand.

Now, the facility, which will bake bread and buns, will get a second chance.

“In response to COVID-19 and increased product demand across the Northeast market, Bimbo Bakeries will temporarily reopen our Hazleton Bread Bakery,” BBU said. “This temporary reopening will enable us to better feed our communities by adding a fully operational bakery during this critical time. We’ve hired former Bimbo Bakeries USA associates to staff the bakery and are scheduled to start production on Friday, April 10, 2020.”

The baking plant opened in the mid-1950s as a Spaulding Bakeries facility. Stroehmann bought the plant in 1982, and BBU subsequently acquired it in 2008 as part of its acquisition of the US fresh bakery business of Weston Foods, Inc.