USA: Dean Foods to close facility in Illinois

Dean Foods, the leading US dairy processor, is to close a bottling facility in Huntley, IL according to media reports.

The move is the latest in a string of closures for the firm as it seeks to consolidate its operations in the face of falling consumer demand for milk products.

Earlier this month, Dean Foods filed a notice of its intention to close a dairy plant in Louisville, KY, with the loss of 76 jobs. Previously, the firm had also announced that its Meadow Brook Dairy in Erie, PA and Garelick Farms site in Lynn, MA would be shuttered as part of cost reduction measures.

Speaking in February, Dean Foods CEO Ralph P Scozzafava said: “We consider 2018 to be an important year, a year of transition and transformation as we reset our cost structure to better position us for the future. […] We expect to consolidate our supply chain by a meaningful amount over the next 18 to 24 months while also making sure that we deliver the same great quality, value and service that our customers have come to expect from us”.

Source: Milk Business / WDRB.com / Food Business News