Nestlé to close Solon, Ohio pouch plant by end of 2027

Production in Solon is expected to wind down by the third quarter of 2027, and the factory should close before the end of that year. Nestlé said the transfer to Gaffney, an existing company site, will happen gradually over the coming months. The broader Solon campus will stay open and continue to house research and development, corporate functions and several business units. Its on-site thrift store is also expected to keep operating, Cleveland.com reported.

Jobs and WARN notice

Nestlé has not disclosed how many jobs will be affected. Newstalkcleveland reported the closure is expected to affect hundreds of workers. The company expects to file a federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notice around March 2027. Such filings typically alert workers and local officials ahead of a plant closing and would give a clearer count.

Nestlé said affected employees will receive separation benefits and transition support and can apply for open positions at other Nestlé facilities, including in Ohio. "Our priority is supporting employees through this change by providing separation benefits and transition support in collaboration with state and local partners," a spokesperson said. FoodNavigator noted that moving with the work may be impractical for many because of the distance between northeast Ohio and South Carolina.

Earlier cuts in Solon

Nestlé announced plans in January 2024 to eliminate 216 manufacturing positions at the Solon factory, which then employed 780 people. The planned cut was about 28% of the plant's workforce at the time. In November 2023, the company announced plans to lay off 77 employees from its Solon headquarters. fox8.com reported that reduction continued through August 2024.

Stouffer's opened the Solon production facility in 1968, five years before Nestlé acquired the company in 1973. Stouffer Foods marked 100 years in business in 2022. Nestlé has had a presence in the city for nearly 60 years, Ideastream reported.

Ohio footprint

Nestlé said it employs nearly 3,000 people across seven facilities in Ohio. fox8.com separately reported more than 3,000 employees across nine facilities, figures that differ by source and timing. The company said its Streetsboro distribution center and West 25th Street factory in Cleveland are not affected by the Solon closure.

Why Nestlé is moving

Nestlé said the move followed changing customer needs and volumes. It said building on capabilities already in place elsewhere in its network was "the most sustainable path forward." A spokesperson said the decision is difficult "not only for employees, but also for the community members who have deep ties to the Solon factory."

Chief financial officer Anna Manz told a Barclays conference that "more needs to be done" on North American execution. She said creamers and Gerber were underperforming and frozen food was growing more slowly. Food Dive reported that PepsiCo, Tyson Foods, JBS, Danone and Mars have all announced plant closures this year. FoodNavigator reported the move reflects a shift toward larger, more efficient sites and the US Southeast.