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Nestlé plans to close its Solon, Ohio, factory by the end of 2027 and move production of foodservice pouches to its Gaffney, South Carolina, plant. Production in Solon is expected to end by the third quarter of 2027; the company has not said how many workers will be affected. Other operations on the broader Solon campus are expected to remain.
Nestlé said it will close its Solon, Ohio, factory by the end of 2027 and move production of pouches for its foodservice business to its facility in Gaffney, South Carolina. Production at the Ohio plant is expected to end by the third quarter of 2027, but the company has not disclosed how many employees will be affected.
The Switzerland-based food company said the shift will take place gradually over the coming months as it responds to changing consumer needs and shifts in production volumes. Nestlé described moving the work to an existing facility as “the most sustainable path forward,” according to its statement. The company said the Solon factory itself is scheduled to close by the end of 2027, after production is wound down.
Nestlé plans to file a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice around March, according to Food Dive’s report. The report did not specify the year for that filing. A WARN notice is used to inform workers and public officials of certain planned mass layoffs or plant closings; the company has not yet provided the number of Solon factory employees who could be affected.
The planned factory closure does not mean the entire Solon campus will shut down. Nestlé said the broader site will continue to house research and development, corporate operations and multiple company businesses. It also said it has nearly 3,000 employees across seven facilities in Ohio, though it did not detail how the closure could affect employment across the state.
Solon Workers Face an Unclear Impact
The decision sets a timetable for the end of manufacturing at the Solon factory, while leaving the scale of the workforce impact unresolved. Employees and local officials will have to wait for further company information, including the planned WARN filing, to understand how many positions may be affected and what support or other arrangements Nestlé may offer.
The distinction between the factory and the wider campus also matters for the local economy. Nestlé says research and development, corporate operations and other businesses will remain at the site, so the announcement does not establish that all activity in Solon is ending. The extent of the remaining operations, and whether any workers might move to other roles or locations, has not been stated.
For customers, the company’s plan is to transfer foodservice pouch production to Gaffney rather than discontinue that production outright. Nestlé has not provided details on the products, volumes, or timing for individual production moves, so the immediate effect on customers and supply is not yet known.
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Earlier Solon Job Cuts and Network Changes
Nestlé announced in 2024 that it planned to lay off 216 workers at its Solon factory. At that time, the facility employed 780 people, Food Dive reported. That earlier reduction provides context for the current closure plan, but the company has not said whether the earlier job cuts changed the number of workers now at the factory.
The announcement also comes amid broader scrutiny of Nestlé’s performance in North America. Chief Financial Officer Anna Manz told a Barclays conference that “more needs to be done” to improve execution in the region. Manz described the company’s creamers and Gerber infant and child business as underperforming and said growth in frozen foods was slowing. Those comments give wider business context; Nestlé did not say that any one of those categories caused the Solon closure.
Food Dive reported that food and beverage manufacturers in the United States have been announcing facility closures as they adjust production networks, costs and supply to consumer demand. It listed PepsiCo, Tyson Foods, JBS, Danone and Mars among companies that had announced facility closures that year. The report did not provide a comparison of the scale or reasons for those separate decisions.
“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, in a statement
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Worker Numbers and Closure Details Pending
Nestlé has not said how many employees will be affected, whether workers could be reassigned, or what assistance may be available. The planned WARN notice around March may provide additional information, but the report did not identify its expected filing year. The company also has not released a detailed schedule for transferring production to South Carolina.
It remains unclear how the production move will affect customers, output or staffing at the Gaffney facility. Nestlé has said the broader Solon campus will remain active, but it has not specified the size or scope of the operations that will stay. The closure date and production end date are company expectations, not confirmation that the wind-down has already begun or been completed.
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Production Winds Down Through 2027
Nestlé says production in Solon is expected to end by the third quarter of 2027, followed by the factory’s closure by the end of that year. The company expects to move production gradually to Gaffney over the coming months. Its planned WARN notice around March is the next identified step that could clarify workforce effects, though the filing year and employee numbers remain unreported.
Further updates from Nestlé may clarify staffing, the production-transfer schedule and which operations will remain at the Solon campus. Until then, the confirmed plan is limited to ending foodservice pouch production at the factory and closing that factory by year-end 2027.
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Key Questions
When will Nestlé close its Solon factory?
Nestlé says the factory will close by the end of 2027. Production at the site is expected to end by the third quarter of that year.
What production is moving to South Carolina?
Nestlé plans to move production of pouches for its foodservice business from Solon to its facility in Gaffney, South Carolina. The company has not provided a detailed transfer schedule.
How many workers will be affected?
Nestlé has not disclosed the number of employees who may be affected. It plans to file a WARN notice around March, but the report did not specify the filing year.
Will all Nestlé operations in Solon close?
No. Nestlé said the broader Solon campus will remain open and continue to house research and development, corporate operations and multiple Nestlé businesses. The company has not described the scope of those continuing operations.
Why is Nestlé closing the factory?
Nestlé cited changing customer needs and production volumes and said using capabilities already in its network was its most sustainable path forward. The company has not identified a single product category or other specific factor as the cause.
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