More than 100 employees to lose jobs with closure of Sara Lee Bakery

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The Sara Lee Bakery on Madison’s east side will be closing in January.

The company notified its employees at a meeting Tuesday morning that the bakery at 3401 East Washington Ave. will be closing Jan. 2.

An employee told News 3 the company will be working with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development during the next couple of months and will be offering severance packages.

Bimbo Bakeries USA announced it will shift production to other facilities in the region, according to a release.

The Madison bakery produces bread and buns, and employs 158 people, officials said. A spokesperson for the company told News 3 a few employees will stay on and transition to different roles within the company.

“Making the decision to close a facility is never an easy one,” David Tormena, vice president of Region Operations for Bimbo Bakeries USA, said in the release. “After careful analysis and consideration, we determined moving production to other bakeries in our system is a more efficient and cost-effective option.”

Tormena said consumers and customers will not see a change in availability or quality of products because of the change.

“We truly value and respect our dedicated associates at the Madison bakery and will assist them throughout the transition,” said Tormena.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story stated 158 employees would lose their jobs, but a spokesperson with the company said a few employees would stay on and transition to other roles. The story has been updated to reflect the new information.

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