Fulton, NY -- Birds Eye Foods’ new owner says it plans to keep the Fulton plant open and make no changes for the time being. “We have no plans to change anything,” said Michelle Weese, speaking for New Jersey-based Pinnacle Foods, after company officials reviewed Birds Eye operations. In the future, though, she acknowledged that “anything could change.” Plant workers...
Fulton, NY -- Birds Eye Foods’ new owner says it plans to keep the Fulton plant open and make no changes for the time being. “We have no plans to change anything,” said Michelle Weese, speaking for New Jersey-based Pinnacle Foods, after company officials reviewed Birds Eye operations.
In the future, though, she acknowledged that “anything could change.”
Plant workers and Fulton residents were worried after it was announced in December that Pinnacle Foods had bought the Rochester-based company. They feared it meant another local plant might close, putting nearly 280 people out of work.
Fulton has been through a number of plant closures, including the Nestle chocolate plant and the Miller Brewery in Volney, just outside the city. Mayor Ronald Woodward said he is thrilled to hear Birds Eye will keep operating its Phillips Street plant.
“We’ve lost the brewery, Nestle, Golden Corral and the hospital. It gets depressing,” he said. “I am thrilled to hear this.”
Pinnacle Foods, of Mountain Lakes, N.J., manufactures many well-known brands such as Duncan Hines baking mixes and frosting; Vlasic pickles, pepper sand relish; Mrs. Butterworth and Log Cabin syrups; Armour canned meats; Swanson and Hungry-Man frozen dinners; Van de Kamp’s and Mrs. Paul’s frozen seafood; Aunt Jemima frozen breakfasts; Lender’s bagels and Celeste frozen pizza.
At the Phillips Street operation, Birds Eye makes a number of Voila! frozen foods and various other Birds Eye frozen vegetable products. For 2008, www.foodprocessing.com ranked Pinnacle 68 among the top 100 food processors. Birds Eye was number 81.
Birds Eye has plants in Fennville, Mich.; Algona and Tacoma, Wash.; Berlin, Pa., Waseca, Minn., and Darien and Green Bay, Wis.