July 26, 2016
Initiative Foods vows to assist employees, collaborate with customers, vendors, growers after facilities fire
Firm working to find alternative supply sources for customers
Initiative Foods vowed to assist employees and customers in the aftermath of a devastating fire at the firm’s primary processing and warehouse facilities. After ensuring employees’ well-being to the best of its ability, the company will work with customers, vendors, growers and insurance companies to determine next steps.
Initiative Foods, based in Sanger, California, packs organic and non-organic baby food for many of North America’s leading grocery retailers. The 13-year-old company employees 120 people; no employees nor responding firefighters were injured in the blaze.
A number of local companies have already reached out to offer job opportunities for those who have been misplaced by the fire.
The July 24 fire destroyed the jar and pouch production lines as well as the existing inventory of jarred foods. The new cup production line is located in a separate facility that was not involved in the fire.
While the fire caused an interruption to the supply of baby food jars and pouches, Initiative Foods is working to find alternative supply sources as it recovers and rebuilds.
In his initial note to employees, Initiative Foods founder and President John Ypma said, “While a setback, we will continue and rebuild better than ever.”
