Rich Products to Close Plant, Lay Off 170 Employees

Rich Products plans to close its Fridley, MN, baked goods facility this fall, according to the State of Minnesota.

Layoffs of 170 workers will begin Sept. 13. Rich Products has two other plants in the state: Motley, which is around 2 hours from Fridley, and Eagan, approximately 30 min. away. There was no word if the company will move employees to the other plants.

The MN State Rapid Response Team said Wednesday it received a notice about the closure and layoffs from Rich Products Corp. regarding its plant in Fridley, local news reported.

The NY-based packaged food maker, which offers toppings and icings, baked goods, appetizers, pizza, Italian specialties, and more, has been at the Fridley plant since early 2020, when it purchased the baked goods facility from TreeHouse Foods to expand its product portfolio — specifically for its dessert and bakery business units. At the time, Rich Products also acquired the TreeHouse Foods plant in Lodi, CA.

In a 2020 press release, Ray Burke, president and COO of Rich's US- Canada region said, "The facilities we are acquiring from TreeHouse enhance our current dessert and bakery product portfolios and align well with our long-term growth strategies. These added capabilities will also allow us to provide greater fully-finished and artisan product options, which are in high demand among our customers."

The Fridley plant is expected to fully cease operations by year end.