Russell Stover to Cut 400 Jobs in Consolidation Effort

Chocolates manufacturer Russell Stover is planning to close a production facility and several distribution and fulfillment centers and cut some 400 positions as part of an effort to consolidate and improve its production, retail, and distribution networks, the company announced in a release Tuesday.

Russell Stover will shutter its distribution and fulfillment facilities in Cookeville, TN and Butler, MO and “some select low-traffic stores” this year, the company stated, and shut down a production plant in Montrose, CO in early 2021.

“Having been in business since 1923, we know the importance of keeping pace with the changing tastes and preferences of the people who buy our chocolates,” the firm’s chief executive officer, Andy Deister, said in a statement. “Just as consumers change their preferred flavor or package, they’re changing the way they shop for our products, and we’re making sure we have the infrastructure to deliver on their expectations.”

In addition to the closures, Russell Stover said it also will expand its facilities in Coriscana, TX, Abilene, KS, and Iola, KS, creating about 300 new positions. 

“During this transition, we are committed to providing employee support, including giving significant advance notice of all facility closures, offering additional opportunities within Russell Stover, as well as providing severance, continued health care coverage, and other benefits for those working through the close date,” the company said in its release.

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