120 years ago commercial airlines, television, penicillin, and credit cards did not exist yet.
Starbucks was still 65 years away from being founded and Panera Bread did not exist until 16 years after that (albeit under its original name, Atlanta Bread Company). Even Wonder Bread did not come around until 1921, making Schwebel Baking Company’s 120 years of history an incredible accomplishment.
In the early days, back in 1906, it was a company with a modest beginning.
“It all started over a century ago in the family kitchen of Joseph and Dora Schwebel. Forty loaves of bread were delivered door to door each day in a wicker laundry basket,” the company shared on its website.
That grew into a regional dynasty that supplied grocery chains, operated its own stores, and manufactured multiple lines of bread, producing over a quarter of a million bread packages daily.
Now, that long history will come to an end as Schwebel Baking Company will close its doors and shut down all operations.
Schwebel Baking Company “winding down” operations
In a press release, the company cited “operational and financial constraints,” adding, “These challenges include aging manufacturing facilities and equipment, costly labor contracts and pension obligations, and consumer trends depressing demand for traditional bakery and bread products.”
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The company said it made “comprehensive efforts” to remain afloat, including financing and strategic alternatives, the sale of its business and operations and a request to temporarily defer certain pension obligations.
“We are devastated to reach the point where liquidation is the only remaining option,” CEO Steve Cooper said in a press release. “We’ve worked with our advisors for several months to identify a buyer or investment source, however despite significant efforts to adapt to changing market conditions and secure additional investment, the company was unable to establish a sustainable path forward.”
The company owns a number of brands.
“Schwebel Baking Co. is one of the largest family-owned, independent baking companies in the United States, producing a variety of fresh bread, buns and rolls under the Schwebel’s, ‘taliano, Millbrook, Country Hearth, Roman Meal, Sun-Maid Raisin and Cinnabon brand names. It operates 3 bakeries and 35 distribution centers, and it distributes its products in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Indiana,” according to Baking Business.
The baking industry faces labor issues
As demand for skilled workers continues to grow, so does the need to address the workforce crisis.
“The data speaks for itself and is a chasm that threatens the very foundation of our industry and requires immediate and collective action,” American Bakers’ Association President and CEO Eric Dell said in a press release.
It’s a situation that impacts all commercial bakers.
- At the current rate, the industry will have 53,500 unfilled jobs by 2030. Demand for skilled workers in commercial baking will be concentrated in the critical operational occupations of production, engineering and equipment maintenance, and shipping and distribution.
- By 2030, the ripple effect of these shortages will be felt throughout the supply chain, adversely impacting communities and businesses nationwide.
- The total impact (covering direct, indirect, and induced effects) reflects 148K forgone jobs, $9.7B forgone wages, $36.2B forgone output, and $3.3B in forgone taxes (direct only).
Schwebel Baking Company plans to operate through the Fourth of July weekend and wind down operations later this summer.
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Schwebel Baking Company timeline:
- 1906: Joseph and Dora Schwebel begin baking bread in Campbell, Ohio, selling homemade loaves door-to-door. Source: Schwebel company history; Reference for Business, according to the company.
- 1914: Schwebel begins selling bread through local grocery stores, expanding beyond direct delivery.
1923: Company builds a new bakery and retail store to meet growing demand. - 1967: Begins national licensing of Schwebel’s Golden Rich Bread.
- 1976: Acquires Vienna Baking Co.
- 1981: Purchases Lawson Bakery, expanding its regional footprint.
- 1987: Acquires Millbrook Bread of Cleveland. Source: Reference for Business.
- 1990: Purchases Kroger’s Northcoast Bakery in Solon, Ohio. Source: Reference for Business.
- 1995: Acquires additional baking facilities in Hebron, Ohio, from Kaufman’s Bakery.
Source: Reference for Business
Schwebel’s struggles begin
- 2013: Announces closure of its Cuyahoga Falls bakery and shifts production to its more modern Solon facility as part of a modernization effort. Source: Food Business News, according to Food Business News.
- January 2026: Completes a sale-leaseback transaction involving its Youngstown headquarters and bakery properties to raise cash while continuing operations, reported The Vindicator.
- June 18, 2026: Announces plans to wind down operations and liquidate after more than 120 years in business, according to Cleveland 19.
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