A major frozen Mexican food manufacturer is preparing to eliminate more than 100 jobs at its California facility, adding to the employment challenges facing the state’s food manufacturing industry. The cuts will affect workers at a Central Valley plant that produces popular frozen meals and snacks sold in grocery stores nationwide.
Layoffs planned at California manufacturing plant
Ruiz Foods, the company behind El Monterey frozen burritos and Tornados snacks, announced plans to eliminate 176 positions at its Dinuba, California, manufacturing facility, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice filed in early September.
Of the affected employees, six were laid off between September 2 and September 9, while another 170 were scheduled to lose their jobs on November 4, 2026.
The company said the workforce reduction was necessary to better align production capacity with anticipated customer demand. As part of the changes, the Dinuba facility was scheduled to transition to a five-day production schedule beginning November 4.
The plant, located south of Fresno in Tulare County, employs approximately 1,400 workers and is expected to remain open. Ruiz Foods said the facility remains an important part of its manufacturing network and that planned capital investments would support its long-term operations.
History and background
Founded in 1964, Ruiz Foods grew into one of the country’s largest manufacturers of frozen Mexican food products. Its brands include El Monterey, known for frozen burritos and taquitos, and Tornados, a line of rolled snacks sold at convenience stores.
The latest cuts followed an earlier restructuring at the company’s Tulare, California, facility, where 215 employees were affected in 2024. That plant closure was attributed to space limitations and the substantial investment needed to keep the facility viable.
Ruiz Foods moved its corporate headquarters from Dinuba to Frisco, Texas, in 2024, although the California manufacturing plant was expected to continue operating.
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