Candy maker Nestlé, which also owns Lean Cuisine and Hot Pockets, is closing one of its Solon, Ohio, factories next year “to respond to changing consumer needs,” according to an article by Food Dive.
That particular factory creates packaging for Nestlé products, work that will move to the company’s factory in Gaffney, S.C. The remainder of the factories on the Solon campus – housing R&D, corporate offices and other Nestlé businesses – will remain open. Nestlé is the world’s largest food company, Food Dive said.
“The move will take place gradually during the coming months, with production in Solon expected to conclude by the third quarter of 2027 and the factory expected to close by the end of 2027,” the article said.
In 2024, the factory employed 780 people but Nestlé was planning to lay off 216 at that time, according to Food Dive.
In a statement to Food Dive, Nestlé said: “As customer needs and volumes evolve, we determined that building on capabilities already in place elsewhere in our network was the most sustainable path forward.”
The company gave no estimate on the number of employees who would lose their jobs when the factory closed.
“We understand that this decision is difficult, not only for employees, but also for the community members who have deep ties to the Solon factory,” Food Dive said.