Fresno, California – Cheese giant Leprino Foods is making headlines as it prepares to pull the plug on its massive Lemoore East plant, serving up a jaw-dropping dose of job losses for Central California. The mozzarella powerhouse—whose creamy blocks end up sizzling on slices from Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Papa John’s—is shutting down the enormous facility located about 30 miles from Fresno, with the closure scheduled for early 2026. That move leaves 368 workers out in the cold, and the announcement sent shockwaves through the local community when it dropped in November 2024.
Why is Leprino packing up? According to statements made to FOX26 News, sky-high operating costs in the Golden State are partly to blame, combined with the company’s shiny new mega-plant opening in Lubbock, Texas. It’s the latest in a stampede of businesses deserting costly states. Texas—with its business-friendly policies and lighter regulatory grip—has become a corporate magnet. KFC ditched Kentucky for the Lone Star State earlier in 2024. Chevron relocated its headquarters from California’s San Ramon to Houston last year. And billionaire Elon Musk shifted the nerve centers of X, Tesla, and SpaceX to Texas, leaving Silicon Valley in the dust.
Behind the scenes, Leprino filed a WARN notice on October 23, alerting 268 staff to impending permanent layoffs, as recorded by California’s Employment Development Department. Another WARN notice in December confirmed another 100 positions axed. Leprino’s official statement called the decision agonizing, listing factors like the facility’s creaking infrastructure, pricey upgrades, dwindling milk supply prospects, and tough California expenses alongside boosted production coming online in Texas…