Rochelle Foods to halt production in Illinois plant to limit Covid-19

Hormel Foods’ wholly-owned subsidiary Rochelle Foods has decided to temporarily suspend food production at its facility in Illinois, US, amid the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

The company has received notice from the Ogle County Health Department to immediately shut down the plant for at least two weeks.

The decision to close the facility, where more than 800 people work, was taken after more than 20 cases of Covid-19 were linked to the site.

Rochelle Foods plant manager Bill Rice said: “We have decided to close our facility to ensure a broader understanding of Covid-19 and the impact on our operations.

“Unfortunately, the outbreak has had an effect on our ability to fully operate. We have been part of the fabric of this community for decades, so this news is incredibly disappointing to our great team of people.

“For years, we have provided support to our local food banks and made products used by FEMA and other disaster response programs in times of need. To help continue to do our part, we are eager to reopen soon and start making our great products, just as we have done uninterrupted for decades.”

The company noted that it is working with the local officials to further understand the closure order, as well as consulting with internal and external subject matter experts (SMEs) to understand the next steps to reopen the facility.

During the 14-day closure, the company said that it will make payments to all its team members.

To ensure sanitation and food safety standards at the production facility, Rochelle Foods is said to have implemented various measures including increased sanitisation frequency, as well as providing additional personal protective equipment, prohibiting external visitors and taking team members’ temperatures.