(Reuters) - Safeway Inc's long-time chairman and chief executive, Steve Burd, will retire at the second-largest U.S. supermarket chain's annual meeting on May 14, it said on Wednesday.

The operator of supermarkets such as Safeway, Vons and Dominick's said its board will start a search for a successor, and consider both internal and external candidates for the job.

Burd, who joined Safeway in October 1992 as president, was appointed CEO in 1993.

(Reporting By Dhanya Skariachan)