BRIEF: Wonder Bread maker has cut 38 jobs in Columbus: Local plant not equipped for new natural bread line, Interstate Bakeries

Posted on: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:16:00 EST


Symbols: IBC
Feb 10, 2009 (The Columbus Dispatch - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
IBC | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- The maker of Wonder Bread has cut 38 jobs in Columbus because the local bakery is not equipped to make a new all-natural bread line, the company said.

Interstate Bakeries Corp., with a bakery at 697 N. 4th St., confirmed the layoff a week after the company said it had emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Spokesman Lew Phelps said 38 out of 70 jobs have been cut. He said the bakery doesn't have the kinds of racks and ovens needed for the all-natural line. He also said the bakery is suffering from a drop in private-label sales to grocery stores.

Interstate, based in Kansas City, Mo., has bakeries all over the country. The work that is leaving Columbus has been transferred to the Chicago area, Phelps said.

Craig Jung, Interstate's chief executive, said in a statement last week that the company is stronger and more competitive after several months in bankruptcy protection.

"With this period behind us, we can now unleash and empower 22,000 IBC employees to better serve our consumers and customers, revitalize our core brands, and launch product innovation that will profitably grow our business," he said.

dgearino@dispatch.com

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