A Southwest Florida manufacturing facility that has produced shelf-stable fruit juice products for schools, health care providers, airlines and other institutional customers is preparing to shut down, resulting in the loss of 135 jobs in Lee County.
Peterson Brands, a subsidiary of Michigan-based Peterson Farms, has filed a WARN notice with the state of Florida announcing plans to permanently close its Fort Myers facility at 9910 Bavaria Road. According to the filing, all affected employees are expected to lose their jobs by June 27 as part of a total plant shutdown.
Permanent shutdown planned
The closure affects the company’s juice packaging operation in Fort Myers, which specializes in aseptically packaged fruit juice products sold to health care facilities, schools, military organizations, airlines, cruise lines and other foodservice customers. Company officials described the move as a permanent shutdown of the facility.
The WARN notice did not provide a specific reason for the closure, and company representatives did not immediately respond to requests for additional details about the decision.
Workers across multiple departments affected
The layoffs span a wide range of positions throughout the operation. Impacted employees include machine operators, maintenance technicians, warehouse personnel, food safety and quality assurance staff, production supervisors, logistics specialists, human resources personnel and administrative workers.
According to the WARN filing, there is no union representing employees at the facility, and affected workers will not have bumping rights that would allow them to displace other employees.
Facility changed ownership in 2024
The Fort Myers operation previously operated as King Brands before being acquired by the Peterson Farms family of companies in 2024. Peterson Farms, headquartered in Shelby, Michigan, operates several food-processing businesses across the country focused on fruit products, juices and related foodservice offerings.
With the June closure date approaching, the shutdown will mark the end of the longtime food manufacturing operation in Fort Myers and add 135 workers to the growing list of Florida employees affected by WARN-notice layoffs in 2026.
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