Amy's Kitchen Closes California Plant, Eliminating 260 Jobs

Amy's Kitchen, a prominent organic food company with approximately $1 billion in annual retail sales, is closing its original manufacturing plant in Santa Rosa, California, a move that will eliminate 260 jobs. The company announced the decision as part of a restructuring aimed at reorganizing its manufacturing network to allow individual facilities to focus on specific product categories.

Production at the Santa Rosa facility will be phased out, with operations being transferred to Amy's Kitchen plants in Medford, Oregon, and Pocatello, Idaho. CEO Paul Schiefer stated that the company explored all alternatives before deciding to close the Santa Rosa operation. "This is hard, and it should be hard," Schiefer said in a statement to SFGATE. "We have a loyal workforce in Santa Rosa, and we’re incredibly grateful for everything they’ve contributed."

Employees affected by the closure will receive separation packages, job-placement assistance, and counseling services. The company's corporate headquarters will remain in Petaluma, California, where the family-owned business was founded in 1987.

The Santa Rosa plant closure is not the only manufacturing cut impacting the company. Amy's Kitchen also plans to lay off dozens of workers at its Pocatello, Idaho, canning plant by December 18. A WARN notice filed with the Idaho Department of Labor indicated that job eliminations include positions such as Cook II, Manufacturing Operator I, and Manufacturing Operator IV.

Amy's Kitchen holds a leading position in several organic food categories. According to market intelligence firm SPINS, the brand ranks number one in Organic Frozen Pizza, Organic Frozen Burritos and Pockets, Organic Frozen Entrees, and Organic Ready-to-Eat Soups. Shoppers spend approximately $1 billion annually on Amy's Kitchen products at retail, generating about $600 million in gross sales for the company itself.