130 jobs axed: Cargill to close Pennsylvania chocolate plant

02-Nov-2015 - Last updated on 02-Nov-2015 at 15:59 GMT

Cargill restructures chocolate and cocoa business after finalizing ADM chocolate deal

Cargill plans to close its chocolate plant in Lititz, Pennsylvania in January 2016 as it restructures its manufacturing footprint in its chocolate and cocoa business.

It comes after the company finalized a $440m deal for ADM Cocoa’s chocolate business, adding six plants. However, it will need to offload a plant in Manheim, Germany to finalize the acquisition after a ruling by the European Commission.

The firm will move production from Lititiz to more modern facilities in Mount Joy, Lititz (West Lincoln Avenue) and Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Milwaukee, and Ontario, Canada.

Cargill said 130 jobs would be axed, mainly at the Lititz facility. Around 30 others will be offered relocation.

Cargill will also centralize the administrative arm of its North American Cocoa and Chocolate business in Milwaukee and Minneapolis to be closer to the company’s corporate HQ in Minneapolis.

"These are very difficult decisions, especially when they involve people who have done such great work for us over the years," said Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate North America president Bryan Wurscher. "We are committed to helping those who are impacted find other employment and assist them with this transition."