By Melissa St. Aude | Casa Grande Dispatch
It was a sad day for Arizona City residents who lost their jobs on March 1 when the need to leverage assets and remain competitive in a tough economy led to the permanent closure of the Aryzta commercial baking plant in Arizona City.
The facility had operated on Battaglia Drive in Arizona City for more than three decades under different names, including Meyer’s Baking, Premier Bakeries, Fresh Start Bakeries and currently as Aryzta.
Scott Fitzgerald, vice president of operations for Aryzta, was in Arizona City on Friday when the 48 employees worked their final shifts.
“It was not an easy decision,” Fitzgerald said of the closure.
He said it was a tough day.
“We have employees who grew up working there. This was a difficult thing to do, but I think the employees understood that it was because of the economy,” Fitzgerald said.
Employees reportedly were notified in mid-February that the plant would close and production would be relocated to another facility in a different state.
Most employees received severance packages and some have already secured employment at a yogurt plant expected to open soon in Casa Grande, he said.
