BUFFALO, NY — Rich Products Corp. is slated to shutter its manufacturing plant in Fountain Inn, SC, early next year as part of efforts to optimize production.

Plans call for the facility, located at 1405 S. Main St. in Fountain Inn, southeast of Greenville, to permanently close between Jan. 31 and Feb. 28, 2025, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act report from SC Works and the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.

The Fountain Inn facility makes some of Rich’s pizza products, said Allie Friedman, company spokesperson.

The Nov. 13 notice said 184 employees will be impacted by the shutdown of the plant. Under the WARN Act, employers must give workers 60 days of advance notice of a planned closing or layoffs.

“As we recently shared with our workforce, Rich’s is consolidating production of the products made in Fountain Inn, SC, across our US manufacturing network,” she said. “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.”

All affected staff will receive severance packages, career assistance and job resources, and employees can apply for jobs at other Rich’s locations, Friedman said.

“Additionally, this January, we will be hosting a job fair in Fountain Inn to connect associates with local opportunities,” she added. “It’s important to note that Rich’s US manufacturing presence remains strong, including more than 20 production facilities across the country.”

A multi-category food company, Rich’s offerings range from sweet baked foods, bread products, pizza and dough to mixes, icings and fillings, dairy/non-dairy toppings and creamers, ice cream cake and desserts, beverages and mixers, appetizers and seafood, among other items, for the retail and foodservice channels. Its brand lineup includes Treat Shop, Bake House, On Top, ProWhip, Bettercreme, Gold Label, Christie Cookie Co., Whip Topping, Tres Riches, Versatie, F’real, Jon Donaire, Carvel, FarmRich, Seapak and Seapak Morey’s and IceHot Beverages.