Pillsbury to Close NJ Ice Cream Plant

The Pillsbury Co., producer of Haagen-Dazs brand ice cream, sorbet, and frozen yogart announced yesterday that it will close its plant in Woodbridge, NJ, effective Jan 15, 1999.

"The closure will eliminate and lower manufacturing costs," said Larry Muma, vice president of production for Pillsbury North America.

According to an AP report, the work from the Woodbridge plant will be absorbed by the Haagen-Dazs plant in Tulare, CA, and through existing supply agreements. The Woodbridge plant was built in 1950 and became a Pillsbury facility in 1983 with the acquisition of Haagen-Dazs.

Pillsbury is a Minneapolis-based subsidiary of Diageo and makes a range of grocery items, frozen foods and refrigerated dough products.