Ready Pac to cease production in Spreckels facility
Ready Pac to cease production in Spreckels facility
Irwindale, CA-based Ready Pac Produce announced Feb. 8 that it will shut down production in its Spreckels, CA, facility " the smaller of the Salinas facilities that it acquired in its recent merger with Salad Time.
The Spreckels operation was opened in 1998 and has been producing bowl salads and fresh-cut vegetables under the "Tanimura & Antle? label. Manufacturing of the vegetable products, including the "Cool Cuts? snack line, will be shifted to the company?s Irwindale headquarters facility. The bowl salads that have been made at the Spreckels site will be discontinued as the company focuses on Ready Pac?s successful "Bistro To Go? bowl salad line, which has significantly expanded its distribution base and recently become the No. 1 brand of ready-to-eat salads in the country based on the latest 12-week data from Information Resources Inc.
Since the work in the Salinas area is highly seasonal, most of the predominantly year-round Spreckels associates will be offered work at the company?s nearby Schilling facility during the Salinas crop season. They will also have the option to move to Yuma during the winter crop season if they desire. Ready Pac estimates that the shift in production to the Irwindale facility will create roughly 20 to 30 new jobs in Southern California as well.
?The decision to shutter the Spreckels plant is part of our ongoing efforts to integrate and consolidate the Ready Pac and Salad Time operations," Larry Kern, Ready Pac president and CEO, said in a statement. "This move allows us to lower our operating costs and leverage the existing capabilities and strengths of one of our larger facilities. Most importantly, we are very confident that we will be able to maintain the same high level of quality and service that our customers and consumers have come to expect from us."
According to Mr. Kern, the company plans to continue producing in Spreckels until April and is considering a variety of possible future uses for the facility.
The Spreckels operation was opened in 1998 and has been producing bowl salads and fresh-cut vegetables under the "Tanimura & Antle? label. Manufacturing of the vegetable products, including the "Cool Cuts? snack line, will be shifted to the company?s Irwindale headquarters facility. The bowl salads that have been made at the Spreckels site will be discontinued as the company focuses on Ready Pac?s successful "Bistro To Go? bowl salad line, which has significantly expanded its distribution base and recently become the No. 1 brand of ready-to-eat salads in the country based on the latest 12-week data from Information Resources Inc.
Since the work in the Salinas area is highly seasonal, most of the predominantly year-round Spreckels associates will be offered work at the company?s nearby Schilling facility during the Salinas crop season. They will also have the option to move to Yuma during the winter crop season if they desire. Ready Pac estimates that the shift in production to the Irwindale facility will create roughly 20 to 30 new jobs in Southern California as well.
?The decision to shutter the Spreckels plant is part of our ongoing efforts to integrate and consolidate the Ready Pac and Salad Time operations," Larry Kern, Ready Pac president and CEO, said in a statement. "This move allows us to lower our operating costs and leverage the existing capabilities and strengths of one of our larger facilities. Most importantly, we are very confident that we will be able to maintain the same high level of quality and service that our customers and consumers have come to expect from us."
According to Mr. Kern, the company plans to continue producing in Spreckels until April and is considering a variety of possible future uses for the facility.
