In brief: Nestlé will close its factory in Solon, Ohio, by the end of 2027 and move pouch production for its foodservice business to its factory in Gaffney, South Carolina.
Implications:
Supply: Production moves gradually over the coming months and ends in Solon by Q3 2027, so your Nestlé foodservice pouch items will be in a handoff between two plants for most of next year.
Freight: Those items will ship from upstate South Carolina instead of northeast Ohio, a longer haul into Great Lakes and Midwest distribution centers.
The News
Nestlé will close its factory in Solon, Ohio, by the end of 2027.
The company will move pouch production for its foodservice business to its factory in Gaffney, South Carolina, over the coming months, so production in Solon ends by Q3 2027 and the building closes a few months later. Nestlé, which makes Lean Cuisine and Hot Pockets, said it is responding to changing consumer needs and shifts in product volume. It said that building on capabilities it already has elsewhere in its network was “the most sustainable path forward.”
The factory had already shrunk, after Nestlé cut 216 of its 780 jobs there. The rest of the Solon campus, which houses research, corporate staff and several Nestlé businesses, stays open. Nestlé is also fighting a Texas lawsuit over how it tests Gerber baby food.
Why It Matters
Nestlé is rebuilding its frozen and foodservice production around fewer, bigger, more automated plants, which puts its foodservice output farther from its Midwest customers.
Gaffney investment: Nestlé added a $150 million line at Gaffney for single-serve frozen meals, built with more automation and digital technology, so the plant taking over Solon’s work is the one Nestlé has been investing in.
Frozen under pressure: CFO Anna Manz said “more needs to be done” to improve execution in North America and named frozen food as a slower-growing business. Nestlé cited shifts in product volume for the closure.
Longer lanes: Solon sits outside Cleveland, close to Great Lakes and Midwest distribution centers, while Gaffney is on I-85 in upstate South Carolina, so frozen product bound for the Midwest will travel farther once the move is done.
Who’s Exposed
Foodservice customers: Nestlé hasn’t said which pouch items move. Its foodservice range includes Stouffer’s pouches such as single-serve mac and cheese sold to restaurants.
Solon workers: Nestlé hasn’t given a job count and plans to file a WARN notice around March. Workers can apply for open roles at other Nestlé sites, including in Ohio. Solon Mayor Edward Kraus said the city will work with Nestlé and state and regional partners on job placement.
Who Else
Nestlé is one of several food makers cutting plants this year. PepsiCo, Tyson Foods, JBS, Danone and Mars have all closed facilities to improve efficiency and bring supply in line with weaker demand. Their customers are changing how they buy, too: Kroger plans to fund price cuts partly by buying direct from growers.
What’s Next
Around March 2027: Nestlé plans to file its WARN notice, which should disclose the number of jobs.
By Q3 2027: production in Solon ends.
End of 2027: the factory closes.
Dig Deeper
Nestlé confirms Solon factory closure (Cleveland 19)
