Acme Bread Company
| File:Acme Bread Company logo.png | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food production |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Steve Sullivan |
| Headquarters | , USA |
Area served | California |
Key people | Steve Sullivan, Founder and President |
| Products | Bread |
| Revenue | $14.5 million |
Number of employees | 168 |
| Website | acmebread |
The Acme Bread Company, commonly referred to as Acme Bread, is a bakery based in Berkeley that played a foundational role in the San Francisco Bay Area's "Bread Revolution," significantly influencing the development of the contemporary American artisan bread scene. It continues to serve as a standard for commercially produced handcrafted bread.
Etymology
The term Acme (ακμή; akmē) originates from Ancient Greek, meaning "peak" or "highest point," symbolizing the company's commitment to excellence and superior craftsmanship.
Origin
Steve Sullivan, who graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, began his baking journey inspired by Elizabeth David's English Bread and Yeast Cookery during travels in Europe. After starting as a busboy at Chez Panisse and becoming their dedicated breadmaker in 1979, he departed in 1983 to found Acme Bread Company alongside his wife Susan. The venture was launched with approximately $180,000 in initial funding, which included an investment from Patrick Simmons, guitarist for the Doobie Brothers, facilitated through a leaseback deal.
Sullivan created Acme’s distinctive natural yeast starter by utilizing unsulfured Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel grapes sourced from a family vineyard—a technique that originated during his honeymoon in Bandol, France. This starter remains essential to maintaining consistency across all Acme bakeries.
Products
Acme’s assortment includes sourdough loaves and "sweet" white bread varieties, along with multi-grain and walnut levain options. Their offerings also encompass baguettes, batards, rolls, pastries, croissants, and croutons. All breads are sold as whole loaves rather than pre-sliced. In 1999, after extensive preparation over two years, Acme shifted exclusively to organic wheat flour to improve product quality.
Operations
The company runs four bakeries: a wholesale facility in Berkeley opened in 1989; a Mountain View bakery relocated to South San Francisco in 2016; and a bakery-retail shop established in San Francisco’s Ferry Building in 2004. The Berkeley location operates around the clock with three shifts, producing more than 60,000 loaves weekly alongside other larger sites. The San Francisco outlet bakes only during daytime hours. Additionally, Acme participates in farmers markets located in San Francisco, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View.
Their sourdough is crafted through a 35-hour process involving a mother starter sponge refrigerated for 12 hours before being mixed with flour, water, and salt. The dough is hand-shaped and baked in brick ovens equipped with steam humidifiers to achieve optimal crust texture.
Acme’s business model is heavily dependent on wholesale distribution—over 80% of its revenue derives from supplying local restaurants and markets—operating without dedicated marketing or sales personnel. Prestigious clients such as Boulevard and Farallon each allocate approximately $60,000 annually for Acme bread. While the Ferry Building retail location offers high visibility, it accounts for only a minor share of total sales.
Distribution also reaches about 40 restaurants and retailers in Sacramento through an agent who collects bread daily from Berkeley and sells directly to individual customers in Roseville.
See also
References
- History of Berkeley, California
- Companies based in Berkeley, California
- Privately held companies based in California
- 1983 establishments in California
- Food and drink in the San Francisco Bay Area
- American companies established in 1983
- Food and drink companies established in 1983
- Bakeries of California
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment