Del Monte Foods shuts down Modesto plant, affecting families across the Central Valley
Del Monte Foods is shutting down its Modesto fruit cannery, bringing an end to operations at a facility that has long been part of the agricultural economy in California's Central Valley.
The closure will impact about 600 year-round employees, along with another 1,200 seasonal workers during the harvest season.
Employees say they were informed of the decision during meetings at the Yosemite Boulevard plant this week. One worker told CBS13 the news came as a shock, saying employees had previously been told their jobs were secure.
Del Monte filed for bankruptcy in July and later auctioned off company properties nationwide. While the company had stated it planned to keep the Modesto plant operating, no buyer stepped forward to continue operations at the facility.
The cannery processes peaches, apricots and pears, serving as a key market for local growers. County agricultural officials say the closure will have ripple effects across the farming community, particularly for crops that must be hand-picked.
The closest remaining fruit cannery is Pacific Coast Producers in Lodi. While the company purchased millions of dollars' worth of warehoused goods from Del Monte, it did not take over operations of the Modesto plant.
Stanislaus County officials say the loss of a longtime employer will be felt beyond the facility itself, affecting workers, growers and the broader local economy.
Employees at the Modesto cannery are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Union leaders say workers are still awaiting details on severance and next steps.
The City of Modesto says it has not received a WARN notice related to the closure and has no additional information at this time.