Checking out.
A beloved Asian grocery store chain is checking out of two California communities, leaving more than 100 employees going through layoffs as competitors for grocery consumers heats up.
99 Ranch Market, one of the nation’s largest Asian grocery chains, is completely closing its longtime Pleasanton location in the San Francisco Bay Area on Dec. 5, ending a 16-year run at the Rose Pavilion purchasing heart. The grocery store is one of two California areas getting the ax before the holidays.
The chain’s Chino store in San Bernardino County is scheduled to close even sooner, on Nov. 15. Together, the closures will have an effect on 103 staff — 54 in Pleasanton and 49 in Chino — according to Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notices filed with the state, and first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
A beloved Asian grocery store chain is checking out of two California communities, leaving more than 100 employees going through layoffs as competitors for grocery consumers heats up. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Parent company Tawa Supermarket Inc. characterised the closures as a strategic transfer to streamline operations rather than as a retreat from California.
For more than a decade and a half, the store served as a vacation spot for consumers searching for everything from contemporary seafood to specialty produce and imported snacks and pantry staples that can be tough to discover in most American supermarkets. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
“This decision will optimize our store network and allocate resources more effectively to better serve our customers,” the company said in a assertion supplied to the LA Times. “With other 99 Ranch Market locations in the Tri-Valley and Chino/Chino Hills areas already, we remain committed to providing the community with convenient access to the quality products, diverse Pan-Asian food selections, and service our customers have come to expect.”
For Pleasanton consumers, the closure marks the finish of an period.
For more than a decade and a half, the store served as a vacation spot for consumers searching for everything from contemporary seafood to specialty produce and imported snacks and pantry staples that can be tough to discover in most American supermarkets.
Management has reportedly already posted a farewell discover at the location, thanking clients for their loyalty. “We would like to express our sincere appreciation for your continued loyalty and support throughout the years,” the signal reads, according to Pleasanton Weekly. “It has been our privilege to serve you and your families, and we are truly grateful for the trust you have placed in us.”
While 99 Ranch is trimming its footprint, the broader Asian grocery market is experiencing a increase.
Korean grocery store powerhouse H Mart opened a location close to Pleasanton in Dublin in March, bringing a main new competitor proper to the same space. The company is also reportedly planning to open a 100,000-square-foot market in Fremont, that is expected to become its largest US location.
Meanwhile, Japanese grocery store Tokyo Central opened a sprawling 40,000-square-foot Emeryville location in January, Osaka Marketplace is planning to open a store and food Hall in Pleasant Hill, and T&T Supermarket opened a store in San Jose in June.
Download The California Post App, observe us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home supply: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!