US food producer Ralcorp is to close its Kent, Washington bakery facility, resulting in the loss of 79 jobs.

The Kent plant is part of Cascade Cookie Co, which was acquired by Ralcorp in January 2000. The company said some of the employees are to be offered work at other Ralcorp plants.

Ralcorp said it will incur expenses of between US$2.2m and $4m, related to the closure, during the third and fourth quarters of this fiscal year, reported the Associated Press.