Amy’s Kitchen to close California plant, shift production
Amy's Kitchen announced the closure of its Santa Rosa, California facility by next summer as part of a strategic move to streamline operations and focus on high-growth product categories. The decision will result in approximately 260 job losses across two locations — with around 207 roles eliminated at the Santa Rosa plant and another 51 from Pocatello’s canning area, which is being moved to Medford. Production will shift to plants in Oregon and Idaho, where each facility will specialize based on its strengths: entrées in Pocatello and pizza, soup, and burritos in Medford. The move reflects broader challenges within the frozen food sector, including affordability concerns that have limited growth despite rising consumer interest for convenience. Amy's Kitchen has positioned itself as a leader in clean-label products with over $1 billion in annual retail sales. CEO Paul Schiefer emphasized the need to simplify operations and improve efficiency amid category-wide struggles.