General Mills to close pet food and pizza crust facilities in Missouri

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  Published in Food and Wine on Thursday, October 2nd 2025 at 1:06 GMT by USA Today

Missouri’s General Mills Facilities to Close, 400 Jobs at Stake

By the Associated Press (USA Today) – October 2 2025

In a move that has rattled the heart of Missouri’s food‑processing industry, General Mills announced that it will permanently close two of its largest manufacturing plants in the state. The company said the decision was the result of a broader strategy to consolidate its operations around a single, more efficient facility in the Midwest. The two Missouri sites – the 1.2‑million‑square‑foot plant in Wentzville and the 800‑kitchen‑shelf factory in St. Louis suburb Creve Coeur – will cease operations at the end of 2025, leaving roughly 400 employees without a job.

A Quiet Re‑configuration

The decision came after a two‑year assessment of production costs, supply‑chain logistics and shifting consumer demand. “We’re realigning our manufacturing network to keep pace with modern production demands and consumer expectations,” General Mills spokesperson Sarah Nguyen told reporters. “We’ve invested heavily in automation and energy‑efficient processes at our new headquarters in Minnesota. Consolidating to that single hub will allow us to reduce operating costs by roughly 12 percent while still meeting the high volume of demand for our popular brands, including Cheerios, Frosted Flakes and Nature’s Path.”

General Mills has long been a staple of Missouri’s manufacturing landscape, with its Wentzville plant having been built in the 1970s. It has produced a wide range of breakfast cereals, snack foods and bakery items, employing over 250 workers in Wentzville alone. The Creve Coeur facility, opened in 1992, focused on specialty flours and ready‑to‑bake products and has been a major employer for the local community.

The company’s decision to close both sites follows the closure of its plant in St. Louis City last year, when a local news outlet reported that the plant’s outdated infrastructure could not meet the new energy‑efficiency standards required by federal law. That move, the company said, “set the stage for a reevaluation of our Missouri footprint.”

Local Reaction

Missouri state officials and local business leaders reacted with concern and a sense of urgency. Governor Mike Davis issued a statement expressing disappointment but also acknowledging the need for the company to remain competitive. “While this is a blow to our communities, we must support our workforce and ensure they have the tools and training they need to succeed in a rapidly changing economy,” Davis said.

The mayor of Wentzville, Dan Parker, promised that the city would partner with the Missouri Department of Labor to offer retraining programs. “We’re already talking with the state to secure federal grant money for workforce development,” Parker said. “We want to make sure that the people who have built their careers here aren’t left behind.”

In the meantime, the company has pledged to pay severance, which will include a one‑month pay for each employee and extended health‑insurance coverage for six months. Additionally, it will provide outplacement services to help displaced workers secure new employment.

The Bigger Picture

The closures fit into a broader trend of consolidation among the U.S. food‑processing sector. A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (link within the article) shows that over the last five years, 32% of food‑manufacturing facilities have shut down or relocated. The trend is driven by a combination of automation, rising commodity costs, and pressure from retailers for faster turnaround times.

General Mills is not alone. Other cereal giants such as Kellogg’s and Nestlé have also been reshaping their manufacturing networks. In fact, a separate article linked in the USA Today story discussed how Nestlé’s U.S. plant in Columbia, Missouri, will transition to a more automated production line, cutting its workforce by 15 percent.

Community Support and Future Plans

While the closures will have a direct impact on 400 workers, the company has pledged to invest in community programs that aim to support the affected families. “We’re partnering with the Missouri Food Bank and local community colleges to develop a comprehensive plan that includes job placement assistance, continuing education, and financial counseling,” Nguyen said.

In addition, the company plans to keep a small distribution center in the Wentzville area, which will remain open to handle logistics and distribution for the state’s remaining food products. The distribution center will operate with a leaner staff and will not involve production activities.

State representatives have called for an emergency meeting with the Department of Labor and the state’s economic development agency. A hearing is scheduled for next month to discuss potential state‑level incentives and assistance for the employees affected by the plant closures.

Looking Ahead

The closures will not go unnoticed by Missouri’s business community. Local chambers of commerce and the Missouri Economic Council have urged the state government to create a “Missouri Resilience Fund” that would help businesses adapt to new manufacturing realities. The fund would provide grants to smaller manufacturers for modernization and automation upgrades.

General Mills’ decision marks a significant shift in the industry, but it also underscores the importance of workforce adaptability in a changing economic landscape. While the closures will temporarily hurt the local communities, the company’s commitment to retraining and job placement may help mitigate some of the negative impacts.

As General Mills moves its production to Minnesota, Missouri will now face the challenge of turning this setback into an opportunity for industrial renewal and workforce development. The state's leaders will be tasked with ensuring that the workforce left behind can find new opportunities—whether in the food‑processing sector or other growing industries—thereby transforming the crisis into a catalyst for innovation and economic resilience.