Nearly 300 Jobs at Risk as PepsiCo Announces Closure of PopCorners Plant in Liberty, NY

Almost 300 workers at the PepsiCo plant in Liberty, New York, which manufactures the PopCorners snacks, are grappling with job loss as the company has decided to close the facility. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN Notice) reveals the layoffs will start on May 21, continuing through June 6, impacting 287 non-union Frito-Lay employees, as PepsiCo owns Frito-Lay, as reported by CBS News. 

The WARN Notice posted on the New York State Department of Labor's website cites "economic" reasons for the closure. PepsiCo Foods U.S. released a statement saying, "This plant has played a vital role in producing our beloved PopCorners brand, but the pace of growth for this product line paired with broader industry pace of growth has made it difficult to sustain the site's long-term viability." According to a New York Post report, the company has initiated collaboration with "employees and local community officials to provide a supportive transition."

Sullivan County officials, including Legislature Chair Nadia Rajsz, Liberty Town Supervisor Frank DeMayo, and Village of Liberty Mayor Joan Stoddard, were united in their concern for the community's socio-economic health following the announcement. They emphasized the company's key role as a local employer and outlined their commitment to help affected workers, underscoring, "While this news appears devastating at this time, all of us - as a united community - will work hard to meet this challenge and provide a better future," as noted by CBS News.

The closure of the Liberty plant spells the end for a site with deep community roots, founded as Ideal Snacks back in 1997 and having undergone significant growth and changes leading up to the present. Notably, in 2017, before its sale to BFY, Inc., the plant saw the layoff of about 200 workers, which had led to a legal dispute, as indicated by the New York Post. Now, Sullivan County, which has experienced strong private sector job growth, must confront new challenges, particularly considering its 14.8% poverty rate in 2023, higher than the national average. County Legislator Louie Alvarez shared with WJFF Radio Catskill, “This is going to hit us very hard.”