BUFFALO, NY. — Rich Products Corp. plans to close a baking plant in Fridley, Minn., by the end of the year, according to a notice filed with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The company said it will begin laying off the plant’s 170 employees in September.

Rich Products acquired the plant, which bakes bread, rolls and cakes for in-store bakeries and foodservice customers, from TreeHouse Foods in 2020 along with another facility in Lodi, Calif. At that time, Rich Products said the facilities would “enhance our current dessert and bakery product portfolios and align well with our long-term growth strategies.”

“As we recently shared with our workforce, Rich’s is consolidating production of the products made in Fridley across our US manufacturing network,” said Allie Friedman, corporate communications, Rich Products. “The decision was part of a regular assessment of our operations to ensure we’re running our production as efficiently as possible — at both the right capacity and at the lowest possible cost for our customers and consumers of our products.”

Friedman said Rich Products will continue to have a presence in Minnesota at its two facilities in Motley and Eagan.