Nestlé to Close Its Solon, Ohio Factory by the End of 2027 and Move Pouch Production to South Carolina — Campus and R&D Stay

Nestlé will close its factory in Solon, Ohio, by the end of 2027 and move production of frozen meal pouches for its food-service business to its existing factory in Gaffney, South Carolina, the company said, in reporting by Food Dive and Cleveland 13 News. Employees learned of the decision on Monday, October 19. Production in Solon is expected to conclude by the third quarter of 2027, followed by the factory's closure in the final quarter. Nestlé has not publicly confirmed how many employees will be affected; WJW reported hundreds of positions are expected to be affected, and a formal WARN notice is expected around March 2027. The broader Solon campus — research and development and corporate operations — is not closing.

Awaaz Punjab Investigations Desk25 October 20264 min readRead in all 3 languages

SOLON, Ohio — Nestlé said it will close a factory in Solon, Ohio, by the end of 2027 as it aims to respond to changing consumer needs and shifts in product volume, Food Dive reported on October 20. The Lean Cuisine and Hot Pockets manufacturer said pouch production for its foodservice business — Nestlé Professional Solutions products used by restaurants, hospitals, schools, hotels and convenience stores — will transition to its Gaffney, South Carolina, factory. The move will take place gradually, with production in Solon expected to conclude by the third quarter of 2027 and the factory expected to close by the end of 2027. Employees learned of the decision on Monday, October 19, Cleveland 13 News reported.

Source: Food Dive

“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,” Nestlé said in a statement quoted by Food Dive. “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.” Nestlé did not say how many employees will be affected. WJW reported that hundreds of positions are expected to be affected and that a formal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice is expected around March 2027, according to Cleveland 13 News. The company says affected workers will receive separation benefits and transition assistance, and will be eligible to apply for openings elsewhere within the company, including at other Ohio locations — access to available positions, not automatic transfers.

Source: Food Dive; Cleveland 13 News (WJW reporting)

The closure is of the manufacturing operation only. Nestlé confirmed that its broader Solon campus is not closing and will continue to house research and development, corporate operations and multiple Nestlé businesses, and that its Streetsboro distribution center and its West 25th Street factory in Cleveland are unaffected, Cleveland 13 News reported. The Switzerland-based company has nearly 3,000 employees across seven facilities in Ohio, Food Dive reported. Solon Mayor Edward Kraus called it “difficult news for Solon and for the employees and families affected” and said the city will work with Nestlé and state and regional partners to connect affected workers with job placement and support services, in a statement to 3News (WKYC).

Source: Cleveland 13 News; Food Dive; WKYC 3News via YouTube transcript

The Solon site carries a long local history: Stouffer built its production facility there in 1968, before selling the business to Nestlé in 1973, WKYC reported. The closure also follows an earlier reduction at the same plant: in 2024 Nestlé announced it planned to lay off 216 workers from the Solon factory, at a time when the location employed 780 people, Food Dive reported. For affected families, the practical dates are the March 2027 WARN notice, the end of production in the third quarter of 2027, and the factory's closure in the final quarter of that year.

Source: Food Dive; WKYC 3News

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