Snyder’s-Lance to close Charlotte nut plant, lay off up to 125 in snack maker’s latest move

Snyder’s-Lance Inc. is closing one of its three Charlotte manufacturing plants in late summer, resulting in up to 125 job cuts, as the snack maker also closes its Ballantyne headquarters office.

Snyder’s-Lance Inc. reported 125 job layoffs at its Emerald Nuts manufacturing plant at 6800 Crump Road, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) filed this week with the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The layoffs are effective Aug. 25 through Sept. 7, when the plant is expected to close.

However, the employees may apply for open positions at two other plants — the Bakery and the Salty — on the Charlotte campus.

“It is anticipated that the closure of the Emerald plant may be phased over a number of days or weeks as production and other operations are phased out,” senior site manager Britta’ny Groves said in a letter to the commerce department.

Snyder’s-Lance Inc. has been owned by Campbell Soup Co. since 2018. The Emerald Nuts business was part of the $6.1 billion acquisition.

In May, Campbell sold its Emerald Nuts business to Minneapolis-based Flagstone Food.

Campbell has about 1,600 employees in Charlotte, the majority at its manufacturing campus and distribution centers, company spokeswoman Emma Wright said. Campbell’s spokesperson Michelle Reardon said the company has placed 64 employees from the Emerald plant at other jobs in Charlotte.

Campbell and Snyder’s-Lance business moves

Campbell also plans to close its Charlotte headquarters later this year, Wright said. In January, Campbell said it was investing $50 million into its Camden, New Jersey, headquarters, which means consolidating its offices in Charlotte and Norwalk, Connecticut.

When Campbell bought Snyder’s-Lance, there were about 1,300 employees at its corporate headquarters in Ballantyne.

The 13515 Ballantyne Corporate Place has “several hundred” employees, Wright said. None of the jobs were eliminated related to the closing, she said, and employees can relocate to Camden.

In 2010, Pennsylvania-based Snyder’s of Hanover and Charlotte-based Lance merged.

Lance’s history dates back to 1913, when Philip L. Lance started selling roasted peanuts on the streets of Charlotte.

Campbell Soup was founded in 1869 and generated $8.6 billion in net sales last year, according to the company’s website. Along with Campbell’s, Lance and Snyder’s of Hanover, Campbell’s other brands are Cape Cod, Goldfish, Kettle Brand, Late July, Milano, Pace, Pacific Foods, Pepperidge Farm, Prego, Swanson and V8.

This story was originally published June 30, 2023 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Snyder’s-Lance to close Charlotte nut plant, lay off up to 125 in snack maker’s latest move."