Meadow Gold announces layoffs due to closure of warehouses, distribution

Meadow Gold Dairies Hawaii LLC, the state’s last remaining dairy processor, plans to lay off nearly 100 employees.

The Waipahu-based company filed notice Friday with the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, saying it is discontinuing “substantially all of its warehousing and distribution operations.”

In a statement, the company said it will partner with Hawaii Foodservice Alliance to manage warehousing and distribution for retail, schools and frozen products, and with Pacific Provisions Hawaii to manage distribution for food service accounts.

“These partnerships allow us to share our commitment to excellence in Hawaii while upholding the standards our customers deserve,” said Meadow Gold in the statement. “Despite our dedicated efforts, meeting our distribution and service standards has been a constant challenge. After careful consideration, we decided to transition away from managing our own warehousing and distribution operations to focus on expanding local production and investing in value-added local manufacturing to align with our vision to support Hawaii’s dairy industry.”

“While this is a significant transition, we believe it is necessary to strengthen our long-term ability to deliver high-quality products and to uphold the standards Hawaii deserves while moving us closer, as an island-state, toward greater sustainability and increasing the ability to keep producing locally made products.”

During this transition, the company said it was committed to supporting “any employees adversely affected to the best of our ability.”

The first anticipated date of separation is Jan. 15, when the transition is scheduled to take place.

In an attached exhibit, the notice lists 131 job titles by island of employees to be permanently terminated.

Meadow Gold Dairies spokesman Jon Bryan, however, said in an email that 99 employees are losing their jobs: 49 on Oahu, 24 on Hawaii island, 19 on Maui and seven on Kauai.

Meadow Gold will maintain and operate the production facility in Hilo, he said, plus continue to invest and complete the manufacturing facility in Kapolei. All other warehouse and distribution facilities will no longer be occupied by Meadow Gold.

The positions listed to be laid off range from commercial truck drivers to warehouse supervisors and associates, loaders, merchandisers, sales representatives and pricing coordinators, among others.

They also include one costume character and one singing costume character, presumed to be Meadow Gold’s mascot, Lani Moo the cow.

The notice said the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 142 represents the seven employees on Kauai.