Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of September, 2014: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production.
It’s been revealed that the draconian cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps) will affect only four U.S. states: Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey and New Hampshire. The rest of the states say they will use their own taxpayer’s money to make up for the federal cuts. The cuts come at a time when there are record numbers of people needing food help. The cuts were passed by Congress and signed by the Obama regime. And administrators of SNAP say across the U.S. ‘white’ people are getting the most help for buying food (43%).
California: Cereal maker General Mills announced they will shutdown their 67 years old Lodi factory by the end of 2015, 430 jobs lost! Administrators blame crashing cereal sales. In Whittier, Kroger announced it will shutdown yet another Ralph’s grocery store, 62 jobs lost in November. Kroger has been blaming the increase health insurance costs for employees, forced by Obama Care. Egg supplier Moark announced they are ending operations in several cities by November, 187 jobs lost and the price of eggs will continue going up! In Fullerton, MBM Foodservice warned it will shutdown in December, 76 jobs lost.
Colorado: In Wheat Ridge, after 26 years Gold’s Corner Grocery store shutdown.
Florida: In Miami, after 44 years Miami’s Best Pizza shutdown. The property owner pulled the rug out from under the restaurant owner’s feet, by renting the building to somebody willing to pay far more in rent. It was revealed that Reilly’s Westshore Taphouse shutdown “…due to circumstance beyond our control between the city of Tampa and our landlord.” Kerry’s Nursery lost 51 hectares (128 acres) to foreclosure! The nursery was planning on growing medical marijuana under the recent law, but for some odd reason the state government has yet to approve any applications for growing the potentially money making crop. In Myrtle Beach, after only a few years the Celtic themed Tilted Kilt pub shutdown, despite having 17 years to go on their lease! According to local reports the franchisee owner sold out to somebody else, and company administrators refuse comment. In Jacksonville, after 68 years Fred Cotten’s BBQ shutdown, the current owner-operator revealed the U.S. economy has always sucked for him: “The financial aspect of this, I cannot continue to absorb it. I’ve never made a profit here in 14 years, and that’s the truth!”-Bill Cowart, took over restaurant in 2000
Georgia: In Atlanta, after two years Dough Bakery vegetarian restaurant suddenly shutdown. No reason given by the owners. After 60 years the iconic Zesto Drive-In restaurant shutdown, the family owners say they were forced to sell by greedy property developers. In Augusta, artificial sweetener maker Nutrasweet announced they must halt production and kill 200 jobs due to tough competition from imported artificial sweeteners!
Illinois: In Geneva, after 35 years the owners of the ‘health’ food store Soup to Nuts announced they will shutdown in October. In Alton, a Dairy Queen shutdown. The franchise owners said sales were so bad it wasn’t worth it to renew their franchise license. The Illinois Policy Institute reports that the number of Prairie Staters whose incomes have crashed, and therefore should qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps), has hit 745-thousand. The institute says for every one person who loses a job at least two adults go begging to the government for food.
Indiana: In Fort Wayne, the owner of all three Papa Murphy’s take-n-bake pizza joints announced they will shutdown in November! Local news reports say employees blamed the lack of sales. Also in Fort Wayne, after more than 50 years iconic Atz’s Ice Cream Shoppes shutdown without notice! Local news reports say the family business took an economic nosedive three years ago, when they were forced to shutdown their Kendallville ice cream factory. County tax assessors say the family now owes several thousands of dollars in property taxes.
Kansas: Farm equipment maker AGCO tried to blame their factory shutdown and killing of at least 111 jobs on the embargo against U.S. farm equipment by Russia, however, ag analysts say it’s really the suck-ass economy: “With depressed crop prices, farmers don’t want to spend money, and large equipment dealers like John Deere, like AGCO, are starting to see the effects, and they’re being proactive.”-John Jenkinson, The Ag Network
Kentucky: In the Nulu district of Louisville, Taco Punk shutdown. The owners blame road construction which “decisively cut off easy access for downtown workers to NuLu during the crucial lunch hours. … It is clear that the situation in NuLu is only going to get worse…”
Maine: Anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi shutting down their warehouse ops in Portland and Augusta, about 100 jobs affected! Pepsi says the bad economy is forcing them to consolidate operations. In Portland, after 25 years vegetarian Pepperclub-Good Egg Café shutdown. Local news reports said the owner had “…anticipated a very profitable summer….but numbers dipped this summer to levels I have never seen!” The owner also blamed steadily increasing rent: “I’m so confused as to what happened. I know the city has reached a saturation point. I was looking at places that were $35 a square foot and I just about fell over!”-Melissa Sawyer
Maryland: In Hagerstown, Sheetz Fresh Food Made to Order shutdown.
Massachusetts: General Mills announced they will shutdown their Methuen yogurt factory, 144 jobs lost!
Michigan: In Rochester Hills, the Sweet Spot Candy Shoppe shutdown. In Saginaw, after nearly 40 years the Ponderosa Steakhouse shutdown without notice, or reason given.
Minnesota: It’s been revealed that of the 18 Roundy’s Rainbow grocery stores that were up for sale, nine failed to sell and were shutdown, and two that were sold were shutdown by the new owner (Jerry’s Enterprises), nearly 1-thousand jobs lost! Minneapolis based food giant General Mills revealed its profits for its fiscal 1st quarter crashed 25%! They will continue with job killing.
Mississippi: In Biloxi, after two years the Margaritaville Casino and Restaurant shutdown. Attorneys for the casino said the property owner refused to allow the building of a hotel, which was part of the original plan. In Long Beach, Rouses Supermarket shutdown.
Missouri: In Ladue, after nearly 70 years Spicer’s toy and candy store shutdown, they couldn’t afford the new lease. In Florissant, after 95 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Yacovelli Restaurant shutdown. In Saint Louis, California based Hamburger Mary’s shutdown due to the landlord losing “…the building in foreclosure, and the bank is now forcing us out in order to sell the building.”
Nebraska: British empire Canada based Agrium laid off 33 people at their fertilizer and feed factory in Fairbury. They’re shutting down their zinc sulfate ops, local news reports said company administrators refused to say why. In North Platte, after five years Margie’s Bar and Grill shutdown.
Nevada: In Reno, after 27 years Scolari’s Food & Drug Company announced it will shutdown in October, 48 jobs lost. Company administrators said the bad economy was forcing them to “streamline” ops.
New Hampshire: In Merrimack, reports that after 11 years Swan Chocolates reduced their cafe hours to the public. The owners said they needed to get back to creating new eats, and they can’t do that while running a full time retail eatery.
New Mexico: In Clovis, after 46 years family owned grocery store Stansell’s Thriftway shutdown.
New York: In Canton, kitchen utensil maker Corning is now asking its newly hired employees to voluntarily quit! In the middle of August Corning hired on 40 new employees, but now says a sudden, and huge crash in sales is forcing them to cancel their plans for expansion. In Jamaica (at the JFK airport), LSG Sky Chefs warned it will shutdown by January 2015, at least 139 jobs lost and 200 jobs to be transfered! In Binghamton, anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi warned it will shutdown their bottling factory in November, 74 jobs lost. In the same city dairy distributor HP Hood also warned they will shutdown in November, 32 jobs lost.
North Carolina: I warned back in February that iconic cereal maker Kelloggs (aka Kellogg) was about to launch its job killing operation Project K. Local news reports say Project K has begun with the first victims, numbering 161, to be made unemployed in January! The job killing under Project K is said to last until 2018! Company officials say they’re hopeful they can cut their costs by $475-million over the next four years, meaning they are not optimistic about any economic recovery!
Ohio: In Cincinnati, after almost six years the owners of the Mainstay Rock Bar announced they will shutdown in October. There was no official reason, but rumors say the building is being renovated.
Oklahoma: In Tulsa, Reasor’s announced they will shutdown a grocery store within the next two months. It could be blamed on Reasor’s takeover of two competing Food Pyramid grocery stores. After 11 years LaDonna’s Fancy Foods store shutdown.
Oregon: In Portland, Produce Row Cafe beer bar shutdown: “It is with a heavy heart that we close Produce Row today for an indefinite hiatus. We understand this is a surprise for many and know that we could not be more grateful for all of your support over the last 40 years.”
Pennsylvania: In Shamokin Dam after 50 years of eats, the owners of Tedd’s Landing restaurant announced they’ll shutdown by November, due to the suck-ass economy. In Hazleton (Hazle Township), Archer Daniels Midland killed 90 chocolate maker jobs after being taken over by evil food processor Cargill. Local news reports say the remaining 118 Umpa Lumpas are in limbo as Cargill has made no announcement about what they’re going to do with their newly acquired chocolate factory. Cargill administrators say they are in the middle of a $440-million deal involving taking over food factories around the World. Their plan is to consolidate operations, which means massive layoffs, possibly in the thousands. In Lemoyne, after 18 years Bob’s Bagels & Philly Style Hoagies shutdown. In Robesonia, food distributor Associated Wholesales now bankrupt busted and already selling off its assets.
Rhode Island: After 31 years French restaurant Basil’s of Narragansett shutdown because the greedy property owner refused to reduce the rent. Local news reports say the owners of the restaurant were active in supporting the community.
South Carolina: In Columbia, hope is lost for the Harvest Hope Food Bank. They have to layoff ten employees, and reduce hours for the other 78. The operators of the po-folks food non-profit claim it’s not because of decreased donations, rather demand for food has skyrocketed, and they had some equipment breakdown which must be repaired. In Eutaw, after 29 years Chef’s Choice Steakhouse shutdown: “These are difficult times. Financially, steak prices are really high. It is hard to make ends meet. It was a tough decision for us to make.”-Dareen Bell Connor, co-owner
Tennessee: Bread & Company shutdown their West Nashville restaurant, due to being unable to pay the rent. Massive food producer Cargill announced they’re shutting down a Memphis corn mill in January 2015, 440 jobs lost! Cargill A-holes, I mean administrators claim the mill is “underutilized”. In Chattanooga, Ferrara Candy announced they are selling off their factory, 95 jobs affected. They already killed 100 jobs prior to the announcement! At one point the factory employed 450 people, back when it was owned by Farley’s & Sathers.
Texas: In Round Rock, after only nine months Curly’s Carolina BBQ restaurant shutdown.
Utah: In Saint George, Iowa based Blue Bunny shutdown an ice cream factory, 100 jobs lost! Company administrators claim they must consolidate operations back to Iowa to “remain competitive” in this suck-ass economy.
Vermont: Guild Fine Meats sandwich shop shutdown.
Virginia: In Troutville, after 32 years the Waffle House shutdown. The restaurant owners claim they are moving to a new location that can increase profits, in other words the old property owner wants more rent. In Richmond, after 38 years Buddy’s Place announced it will shutdown in January 2015. The owner blames the greedy landlord for demanding more rent.
Wisconsin: In Green Bay, The Urban Frog restaurant warned it might shutdown, due to the death of the owner. In Milwaukee, iconic home and industry food canning supplier Ball announced they will kill 24 jobs in November. They killed 74 jobs at the same factory last year. Company administrators blame it on crashing sales to corporate food producers. In La Crosse, Hooters restaurant shutdown. Restaurant administrators said it’s not worth it to renew the lease.