Hy-Vee is shutting down food production facilities in Chariton and Ankeny, a spokesperson for the company said, in a move that will affect hundreds of workers.
Closing after June 24 shifts will be a 48,000 square-foot Short Cuts facility in Chariton that cuts fresh fruit and a 150,000-square-foot plant in Ankeny where Hy-Vee makes take-and-bake pizzas, salads, sandwiches and baked goods. In Chariton, 129 jobs will be eliminated and 332 in Ankeny, for a total of 461.
The work was moved from individual stores when the facilities opened in 2018. Hy-Vee decided to shift the production back to the stores because the shelf life of items prepared at the facilities, especially of fresh fruit, is too limited, Hy-Vee spokesperson Tina Potthoff said.
“This move will significantly improve product freshness, quality, availability and customer service as more employees will be placed in retail stores,” a news release said.
West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee, the Des Moines metro’s largest employer, filed a state-required Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, or WARN, notice concerning the move April 24. But Potthoff said the company is trying to find other positions for the affected employees, with “hiring events” beginning the same afternoon.
The news release said Hy-Vee “is committed to assisting all impacted employees during this transition,” placing as many as possible at stores.
Philip Joens covers retail and real estate for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184 or [email protected].
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