Somehow, 2026 might manage to be worse than 2025 in California.
Which is saying something.
But the hits just keep coming as the state (and, let’s face it, national) economy just keeps sliding. Whether it’s inflation, high gas prices, economic uncertainty tied to the war with Iran, or just plain old inflation – tons of businesses and consumers are feeling the pinch.
3 factories closing, 2,500+ livelihoods gone
Leprino Foods is the world’s largest purveyor of mozzarella cheese (serving the big three pizza places – Papa John’s, Domino’s, and Pizza Hut – in addition to plenty of other clients), and unfortunately even the pizza industry isn’t immune to all the economic turmoil.
Leprino announced last year that it would need to close its East Plant at 490 F St. in Lemoore early in 2026, with over 300 jobs lost. They’re planning to relocate to Texas.
Blue Diamond also announced last year plans to close its flagship factory in Sacramento – mostly because the plant had become “costly and inefficient.” This looks like it’s more a commentary on the factory’s age (one of its building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, which tells you something about how old it is) than anything else.
Originally 600 roles were supposed to be impacted, but more recently Blue Diamond has announced that about 90 roles will be retained (for now) while the rest of the plant shuts down as planned later this year.
And finally, Del Monte closed its Modesto fruit cannery earlier this month, with a whopping 600 full-time jobs and 1,200 seasonal positions eliminated.
This is obviously a huge deal for anyone in Northern California who used the plant for crop processing, and it’s reminiscent of the economic emergency declared in Brawley when the last beet sugar refinery in the state closed last Summer.
What’s next
These are big, flagship facilities that were pillars of their community, employing hundreds of (or, in the case of Del Monte’s factory, over a thousand) workers.
The local economies will suffer as workers struggle to find new roles in what has frankly been a tight hiring market. And with cost of living rapidly increasing, it’s going to get tougher.
Please join us in wishing these poor workers well as they find the next chapter of their story – leave a comment of encouragement on this article!
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