A historic New Britain dairy processing plant with roots dating back nearly a century will permanently close this summer, eliminating 205 jobs, according to a federal layoff notice.
Guida-Seibert Dairy Co. said it will permanently shut its facility at 433 Park St., with layoffs beginning in multiple phases starting July 20, and the closure expected to be completed by Aug. 31, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act filing sent to New Britain Mayor Bobby Sanchez and the Connecticut Department of Labor.
The closure comes as Connecticut’s dairy industry faces mounting financial strain. Just last week, Gov. Ned Lamont announced $22.5 million in emergency stabilization aid for the state’s dairy farmers, citing sharply declining milk prices and rising fuel and fertilizer costs.
The New Britain plant traces its history to family-owned Guida’s Milk, founded in 1932 by brothers Frank and Alexander Guida Jr.
The company was acquired in 2012 by Dairy Farmers of America, the Kansas-based national dairy cooperative. In recent years, Dairy Farmers began replacing the Guida brand on New England grocery shelves with Garelick Farms branding, though milk continued to be processed at the New Britain facility.
In a statement Friday, Dairy Farmers of America confirmed the closure and said milk currently received at the New Britain plant will continue to be processed within the cooperative’s network, with no disruption to customers.
“The plant has been part of the New Britain community for many years, and this was not a decision made lightly,” the company said. “The decision reflects changes needed to best serve our farmer-owners and customers.”
DFA said the closure will take effect July 31. The company said the decision was not a reflection of employee performance and that it would provide affected workers with resources and guidance through the transition.
Affected employees will not have bumping rights, meaning they cannot displace more junior workers into other positions, according to the filing.
According to Dairy Farmers’ website, it has 15 dairy farms in Connecticut and one manufacturing plant in the state.
