Fresh off losing several businesses (including one that directly blamed the trade war), Michigan unfortunately is facing more bad news. This time, two iconic brands - PepsiCo and Utz - are both shutting down factories. Pepsi will be shutting down its Detroit manufacturing plant later this month, the latest in a string of nationwide closures that have left hundreds of workers unemployed and communities bereft of beloved [...]
Another Texas factory suddenly closes with 200 confirmed layoffs
Lots of bad news coming out of Texas right now. As if the retail slowdown wasn’t bad enough… Not to mention the recent losses of several factories… Now there’s another factory that recently closed - with two hundred layoffs confirmed. This time, the victim is Forney, Texas - where Smurfit Westrock recently closed down its containerboard mill (containerboard is frequently used in food packaging). The economy is [...]
New SNAP cuts threaten 800,000 children – with more to follow
Earlier this week, the first of the big changes to SNAP authorized by the “big beautiful bill” took effect. And no, I’m not talking about banning junk food. (Those changes take effect in 2026 and only affect a dozen states so far - here’s the full list.) More specifically, SNAP now requires every able-bodied adult aged 18-54 without dependent children under 18 to report 20 hours per week of work, training, or [...]
Subway franchisee slips into bankruptcy as economic downturn spirals
More bad news on the restaurant front. (As if the loss of 18 Burger Kings wasn't already bad enough.) This time it's Subway - a franchisee based in California named CGA Corporation filed for bankruptcy earlier this Summer. Subway closed hundreds of locations last year as the chain struggles with all the same problems that every restaurant is dealing with: Inflation and higher food costs, supply chain uncertainty due [...]
Dairy Queen abruptly closes 37 locations across Texas – and more could follow
Bad news for ice cream lovers - Dairy Queen has shuttered 37 locations across Texas. (As if the recently-discovered critical vulnerability in America’s dairy supply chains wasn’t bad enough.) These all center around one franchisee, Lone Star DQ, which closed the locations in two waves - first 25 in February, and then 12 more at the end of March. KETK did some smart investigative reporting and discovered that DQ had [...]
Major McDonald’s competitor abruptly gives up, announces 80+ restaurant closures in nationwide retreat
The economic downturn is seemingly coming for everyone. Even beloved household names like Chick-fil-A are starting to pull back. But few restaurants are suffering as much as Jack in the Box, the McDonald’s competitor with over 2,000 stores nationwide. Management has made the tough decision to close at least 80 stores by the end of 2025, expanding to as many as 200, or about 9% of their overall store count. We [...]
