AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT MONTEREY MUSHROOMS

Watsonville, California-based Monterey Mushrooms, a vertically-integrated researcher, developer, grower, and marketer of premium mushrooms, mushroom genetics, and mushroom ingredients to grocery stores, restaurants, food manufacturers, and institutions nationwide, has announced the closure of two mushroom farms, one located in Princeton, Illinois, and one in Orlando, Florida.

The closures will impact 214 employees in Zellwood, Florida, and are scheduled for January 13, 2024. Approximately 400 employees will be impacted in Princeton, Illinois, including employees hired through a contract labor agency.

According to a company statement, "The company has conducted an exhaustive analysis of its business model and made the difficult, but necessary, decision to reposition itself by closing two mushroom growing locations – Princeton, Illinois, and Orlando, Florida.

We have operated these two facilities for decades and the decision to close was made after a long and careful review.

The closure of the two locations is expected to be completed by the end of January 2024, with production being shifted to other farms within the company’s network."

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT LEPRINO FOODS

Denver, Colorado-based Leprino Foods, a food producer of cheese, lactose, whey protein, and sweet whey, has announced a plant restructuring in Remus, Michigan, that will shift the product line from producing string cheese to producing condensed milk starting in January 2024.

The product change will impact 100 employees as the string cheese production will shift to the company's plant in Fort Morgan, Colorado, which has excess capacity.

According to a company spokesperson, "Leprino continually assesses and evaluates our manufacturing network to ensure optimization and to allow us to better meet current and future production needs, as well as the evolving needs of our customers.”

“We do not take this decision lightly, nor do we underestimate how this will impact those affected by this change and the Remus community. We will work diligently with employees and the community during this transition."

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT IMPOSSIBLE FOODS

Redwood City, California-based Impossible Foods, a developer of plant-based substitutes for meat products, has announced a third round of cuts leading to another 20% of the company's headcount. This follows the previous 6% reduction in October 2022.

The reduction will impact approximately 140 employees.

The company is repeating its last message, “We’ve made the very difficult decision to eliminate certain roles that have become redundant to others in the organization or that are no longer aligned with our core business priorities.”

The company appears to be responding to a market research report that observed a recent slump in meat substitute sales, which declined 15% by volume and 14% monetarily for the year ending January 1, 2023.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?