Nestlé Will Shut Down Its Solon Factory by the End of 2027

Nestlé Announces Solon Plant Closure A Nestlé USA spokesperson confirmed Monday that the company will close its Harper Road manufacturing plant in Solon. Employees learned of the decision the same day. About 370 jobs are expected to be affected. Production will move to the company’s factory in Gaffney, South Carolina. Nestlé said the change is part of an effort to better serve consumers and streamline its network. A Phased Shutdown Through 2027 The closure will happen in stages. Over the coming months, Nestlé will move production of its Nestlé Professional Solutions pouches to the Gaffney plant. Manufacturing in Solon is expected to end by the third quarter of 2027. The factory is scheduled to close completely by the end of that year. A WARN notice is expected to be filed around March 2027. That formal notice alerts the state to a mass layoff. Support for Affected Employees According to a company spokesperson, workers will receive “comprehensive separation and transition support.” That support includes work with state and local partners. Employees may also apply for open positions at other Nestlé locations, including sites in Ohio. Solon Mayor Edward Kraus called the announcement “difficult news for Solon and for the employees and families affected.” He said the city appreciates Nestlé’s continued commitment through its research and corporate operations. Kraus also said Solon will work with Nestlé and with state and regional partners. The goal is to connect displaced workers with job placement and support services. What Is Not Closing The factory is the only part of Nestlé’s Solon operation that is shutting down. The broader Solon campus will remain open. Nestlé’s Streetsboro Distribution Center is not affected, and neither is its West 25th Street factory in Cleveland. The company’s website lists the Solon campus as home to Nestlé Professional, Nestlé Research and Development, Nestlé USA and the Nestlé Quality Assurance Center. The campus includes a Research and Development Center that opened in 2015. That $50 million project created a 144,000 square foot facility focused on frozen and chilled foods. Across Ohio, Nestlé employs nearly 3,000 people at seven facilities. Those sites cover manufacturing, research, corporate offices and the Solon campus. Nearly 60 Years in Solon Nestlé has been part of the Solon community for nearly six decades. Its 1973 purchase of Cleveland-based Stouffer’s brought the Solon campus under the Nestlé name. Previous Cuts at the Plant This is not the first round of job losses at the factory. In November 2023, Nestlé told the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services it would lay off 77 workers from its Solon headquarters. Two months later, it announced 216 more layoffs at the plant. The factory employed 780 people at the time. In 2024, a spokesperson said the plant made single-serve Lean Cuisine and Stouffer’s trays along with foodservice pouches. After those cuts, the factory was expected to keep making Stouffer’s pouch items. Those included alfredo sauce, macaroni and cheese and spinach dip.