The Evol brand has outgrown current manufacturing capabilities at Pinnacle Foods’ factory in Boulder, Colorado, and its existing site in Fayetteville, Arkansas is equipped to handle the US business’ increased workload.
As a result, all 85 manufacturing and manufacturing support roles will be cut in the first quarter of 2017.
The business said it would encourage affected staff to apply for open positions at its other factories, including a processing site in Denver, Colorado. However, a search on the company’s jobs board showed only four positions available at the Denver site – all corporate roles that would presumably be unsuitable for the large majority of the affected workforce.
New roles created
A spokesman for the company said the business “will have a number of openings by the time of the closure in Q1 2017”.
The business is also planning to hire 25 staff to support increased production at its Arkansas factory. Investment in equipment will also be made to ensure throughput copes with increased production.
Pinnacle Foods decided to move its Evol brands to Fayetteville “because it has available production capacity and similar frozen product expertise”, the spokesman explained.
Thankful to axed staff
“While it’s never an easy decision to close a manufacturing plant, this action will ensure the long-term success of the Evol brand,” said Mike Wittman, Pinnacle Foods executive vice-president and chief supply chain officer in a statement. “We are thankful to the employees at the Evol plant and value the many contributions they have made to the business.”
Pinnacle Foods is a Fortune 1000-listed company and manufactures a range of branded food products, including Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Mrs Butterworth’s and many other gluten-free, meat, vegetarian and snack food brands.
The business employs 5,400 staff and claims 85% of American households will have Pinnacle Food brands in their house.