Private-equity-backed Rise Baking Company is to shut two New French Bakery facilities in the US state of Minnesota following the sale of the business.
The transaction covers New French Bakery's operations in Kasota and Minneapolis, with the deal finalised in September.
In a WARN filing, Rise Baking Company said the sale would result in a “full reduction” in force across both locations, affecting “all employees”.
The closures are expected to be “permanent”.
A total of 166 workers are affected, with employee separations scheduled to take place on or after 29 December.
The final number of affected staff may vary, as workers may be offered the opportunity to relocate to other company sites for continued employment, the filing added.
Additionally, certain employees may be retained “temporarily” after that date in non-production positions to assist with the handover of the facilities.
According to US reports, Canada's FGF Brands acquired New French Bakery from Rise Baking Company in September.
Last week's WARN filing stated: Rise Baking Company entered into an agreement to sell the operations at the Kasota and 2609 facilities located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the sale closed on September 18, 2026. As a result of the sale, the operations at both locations will have a full reduction in force affecting all employees."
Just Food has contacted Rise Baking Company and FGF Brands for comment.
In March, Rise Baking Company unveiled plans to expand a manufacturing facility in Utah and close a plant in Washington state to “optimise” its production network.
The expansion of the site in Pleasant View, slated for completion this year, will create about 170 jobs.
Rise Baking Company supplies retail and foodservice customers in the US and Canada with a portfolio that includes cookies, pies, cakes, snack bars and muffins.
Its brand line-up features Brill, South Coast Baking, the Best Maid Cookie Company, Henry & Henry, Bakestone Brothers and Karp’s.
The ownership of the business changed in 2024, when Platinum Equity and Butterfly Equity jointly acquired Rise Baking Company in an equal partnership from Olympus Partners, which had backed the business since 2018.
