H-E-B food supplier shuts down Texas facility, 166 workers lose jobs

A high-tech food production facility in Texas has abruptly shut down, leaving more than 160 workers without jobs. The closure comes after a potential deal that could have kept the operation running unexpectedly fell through.

80 Acres Farms is permanently shutting down its vertical farming operation in San Antonio, Texas, resulting in the loss of 166 jobs, according to a filing with the Texas Workforce Commission. The layoffs began August 3 and are expected to be completed by August 17. 

Acquisition falls through

The San Antonio facility, located at Brooks on the city’s Southeast Side, was launched in 2024 by Soli Organic in a 140,000-square-foot industrial building. The facility used stacked growing systems, robotics, and artificial lighting to produce herbs and leafy greens indoors.

Soli Organic merged with 80 Acres Farms in 2025, bringing the San Antonio operation under 80 Acres Farms.

The company’s shutdown followed the collapse of negotiations with a prospective buyer. According to a WARN notice from 80 Acres Farms, the buyer unexpectedly withdrew from the transaction on August 2.

Without the expected proceeds from the acquisition and with no other funding available to keep the company operating, 80 Acres Farms said it was forced to begin winding down its business. 

166 San Antonio jobs eliminated

The affected San Antonio workers include 58 packers, 16 machine operators, and 12 assembly technicians, among other positions. The closure is part of a broader shutdown of 80 Acres Farms’ operations across the country. 

The company had positioned its indoor farming technology as a way to grow fresh produce year-round in controlled environments. The San Antonio facility supplied products including microgreens and salads to retailers, including Texas grocery chain H-E-B. 

The sudden closure represents another setback for the emerging vertical farming industry, which has faced significant financial challenges despite years of investment and interest in technology-driven food production.

For the 166 San Antonio employees affected, the shutdown means the loss of jobs at a facility that had only been operating for about two years.

Links on this page may be affiliate links, for which the site earns a small commission, but the price for you is the same