Nestlé will move frozen meal pouch production to South Carolina by late 2027, but its research and development and corporate operations in Solon will remain.
SOLON, Ohio — Nestlé USA told employees Monday that it plans to close its Solon factory by the end of 2027.
In an email to employees that was obtained by 3News, the company said it is transitioning its Nestlé Professional Solutions (NPS) frozen meal pouch production from Solon to its factory in Gaffney, South Carolina. Production in Solon will conclude by the third quarter of next year, with the factory shutting down in the final quarter of 2027.
Nestlé USA officials said the decision affects only the factory in Solon, not its campus in the city or its factory on West 25th Street in Cleveland. The company did not say how many employees in all will be impacted.
"This is difficult news for Solon and for the employees and families affected. Nestlé has long been a big part of our community, and we’re grateful for its continued commitment to Solon through its R&D and corporate operations here. The City will work with Nestlé and our state and regional partners to connect affected workers with job placement and support services," said Solon Mayor Edward Kraus in an email to 3News.
Nestlé also emphasized that it will work to support those employees who are impacted by the factory's eventual shutdown.
"We are supporting impacted Solon factory employees through comprehensive separation and transition support, including collaboration with state and local partners. Impacted employees will also be eligible to apply for open roles at other Nestlé locations, including in Ohio," a company spokesperson told 3News.
The company's history in Northeast Ohio traces back more than a century to the Stouffer family, which had its beginnings in the restaurant industry in 1922. By the 1950s, Stouffer's launched its frozen food line. Stouffer built its production facility in Solon in 1968, before selling the business to Nestlé S.A. in 1973. Since then, brands like Lean Cuisine, Hot Pockets, DiGiorno and Tombstone have been managed in Solon.
Nestlé's 60-acre Solon campus serves as the company's "Center of Excellence" for its frozen and chilled foods businesses. However, Solon also serves as home to a number of other Nestlé businesses and functions. In 2015, the company opened its $50 million research and development center on Cannon Road in Solon.
In late 2023, Nestlé announced plans to separate from 77 Solon employees, impacting a pair of Nestlé facilities on Bainbridge Road, plus another one on Harper Road. On Jan. 29, 2024, the company announced it would be laying off 216 employees from its Solon factory, stating that the layoffs were meant to "continue to deliver quality products to consumers at competitive prices." At that time, 3News media partner Cleveland.com reported that 780 employees worked at the factory.
According to Nestlé officials, the company currently employs nearly 3,000 employees across seven facilities statewide.
"We will continue to maintain a strong presence in the state as we focus on serving customers and consumers now and into the future," the Nestlé USA spokesperson added.