Nestle, Dreyer’s cutting hundreds of jobs in Bay Area.
San Leandro, Oakland, Gilroy locations among those hit by layoffs and closures
Nestle is cutting more than 600 jobs in California by the end of the year as part of a reorganization of its Dreyer’s Ice Cream division.
The Swiss food and drink conglomerate’s filings with the state show it is slashing 261 jobs in Northern and Central California and another 375 in Southern California. Most of the layoffs are part of permanent closures, according to WARN Act filings required by the state.
Nestle USA announced in May that it would switch from operating a direct-storedelivery network for its ice cream and pizza businesses to a warehouse model. As part of that transition, the company said, it would close several frozen distribution centers and frozen inventory transfer points. Nestle said at the time that the move would “leverage the highly efficient warehouse network” that the company already uses for its frozen meals and snacks.
In and near the Bay Area, the following locations will close, according to the filings:
• San Leandro, which affects 83 workers.
• Gilroy (22 employees)
• Sacramento (54 employees)
• Santa Rosa (18 employees)
• Fresno (20 employees)
In Oakland, 17 jobs are being cut in a permanent layoff, while Manteca is slashing 27 jobs. Both locations will remain open, a Nestle spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday.
The positions being cut at all locations include delivery drivers, merchandisers, sales agents and district sales leaders. The employees were notified in August and September that they are losing their jobs starting Nov. 1. Site closings are due to be completed by Dec. 31.
In Moss Landing, nine employees were laid off at the end of September.
Other locations affected are in Bakersfield, San Marcos, Bloomington and Santa Maria. The job cuts follow hundreds of others in the past few years. Last year, Nestle cut 769 jobs in Bakersfield and 273 jobs in Tulare, state filings show. The previous year, the company laid off 565 workers in Glendale and 93 in Modesto.