Southwestern Minnesota candy company to cut 175 jobs

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ROUND LAKE, Minn. — A southern Minnesota candy company says it will be cutting about 175 full-time positions and additional part-time jobs early next year.

Farley’s & Sathers Candy Co., headquartered in Round Lake, Minn., made the announcement to employees on Thursday.

The company is moving its Minnesota packaging, warehousing and fleet operations to existing facilities in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Dallas. But approximately 150 employees will retain their positions in the company’s Minnesota offices.

Michelle Graber, a public relations official with Farley’s & Sathers, said the positions will be eliminated in the first quarter of 2010. She said she didn’t know if jobs will be eliminated in stages or all at once.

Dustin Casper, who has worked for more than two years in the company’s shipping office, said employees were quiet when the announcement was made, and some broke down in tears.

“It was just kind of shocking and it came out of nowhere. Nobody really thought it would be coming,” Casper said. “There’s a lot of innocent, awesome people that are just losing their jobs. I know a lot of people that have been there for 20 years plus.”

Graber said employees will have the opportunity to apply for open positions within any of Farley’s & Sathers other facilities. Counseling services will be offered to employees beginning this morning.

“This new organizational structure is necessary to help ensure the company’s continued success over the long term,” Farley’s & Sathers President Dennis Nemeth said in a press release issued by the company late Thursday afternoon.

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