Entemann's Bakery to Close?
By Rachelle Bowden in Food on Jul 30, 2004 12:32PM
Northlake is fearful that its Entenmann's bakery will be closed and that its products will be produced out of state. The plant employs more than 300 people, many of whom are long-time employees because the plant has been there for 40 years. Employees say that a few months ago they saw signs that the plant may close. The first sign was when the plant stopped producing bagels (now produced in Orlando) and Little Bites (now produced in New York). Another sign was when the factory stopped ordering flour, sugar, and boxes that they put the cake in. Also, Entenmann's used bake around the clock and now they're down to two shifts.
The company says that the outlook is not good and that the facility is large with a lot of overhead. Production could be scaled back even more, refocused on different product lines or discontinued. Northlake Mayor Jeffrey Sherwin said they'd like to keep the plant open because the town would take a huge economic hit. Final word is expected to be announced today.
Chicagoist loves Entenmann's coffee cake and the Entenmann's chocolate coated doughnuts. What's your favorite Entenmann's?