MODESTO, CA — Del Monte Foods is shutting down its fruit processing facility in Modesto, a move that will cut approximately 1,800 jobs.
The closure will eliminate 600 permanent year-round jobs and roughly 1,200 seasonal positions. The company formally notified employees at the Modesto plant of the decision on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026.
According to the company, the plant is closing because it was not included in the $285 million sale of the rest of the business to Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., making the facility unnecessary for its future plans.
While the two companies share a name, they have operated as separate businesses for nearly 40 years. This purchase reunites the global brand under one owner for the first time since the 1980s. The deal is part of a sale overseen by a court after Del Monte Foods filed for bankruptcy in July 2025.
As of Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, Modesto city officials said they had not yet received a notice under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. This state law requires companies to give communities early warning of large-scale layoffs or plant closures.
Del Monte Foods has not yet set a final closing date for the facility. However, the company expects a gradual shutdown as it finishes selling off other parts of its business.
Headquartered in Walnut Creek, Del Monte Foods has long been a major employer in the region, providing both steady full-time jobs and seasonal work during the harvest season. Residents and local workers now face the impact of the plant's departure from the community.
