WK Kellogg Co. is reducing its workforce at its Memphis, Tennessee, cereal manufacturing plant, with 117 employees set to lose their jobs over the coming months.
The company recently filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, outlining plans for permanent layoffs beginning Augiust 7 and continuing through October 2. The reductions will affect both union and non-union employees.
Part of a long-term restructuring plan
According to WK Kellogg, the layoffs are part of a supply chain modernization strategy first announced in August 2024. The company said it is reducing production at its aging Memphis facility while investing hundreds of millions of dollars in newer manufacturing equipment and expanding production capacity at other plants.
The Memphis facility, which has been producing cereal since 1958, will remain open despite the workforce reduction. More than 200 employees are expected to continue working at the site after the layoffs are completed.
Major cereal producer
WK Kellogg, which became an independent company following its 2023 separation from Kellanova, manufactures some of the country’s best-known breakfast cereals, including Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Special K and Mini-Wheats. The company said it is committed to supporting affected employees through the transition while continuing cereal production in Memphis.
Another food manufacturing workforce reduction
The Memphis layoffs come as food manufacturers across the country continue consolidating operations and investing in newer facilities to improve efficiency. Recent months have also brought workforce reductions at companies including Pilgrim’s Pride, Tyson Foods, and Del Monte Foods, highlighting the ongoing restructuring taking place throughout the food manufacturing sector.
While the reasons vary by company, many have cited modernization efforts, production shifts and changing market conditions as drivers behind the job cuts.
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