East Bay-based Del Monte Foods is shutting down operations at its Central California fruit cannery, sending shock waves through its 600-employee workforce, according to news outlets.
The company said it had planned to keep the Modesto facility open even after filing for bankruptcy in July, but a buyer wasn’t found for the plant, according to CBS News. The closure will also affect 1,200 seasonal workers who labor during harvest season.
“In connection with Del Monte Foods’ court-supervised sale process, the go-forward business will not require the operational capacity provided by the Modesto plant,” the Walnut Creek canned food giant said in a statement to ABC10 in Sacramento. “As a result, Del Monte Foods has made the difficult decision to begin an orderly wind-down of operations at the facility.”…