Swift Beef Co., a JBS subsidiary, plans to permanently close its case-ready production plant on Feb. 2, 2026, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice to the California Employment Development Department.
Located in Riverside, Calif., the closure will affect 374 employees.
“JBS USA has announced the planned closure of its case-ready production facility in Riverside, Calif., as part of a strategic initiative to optimize its value-added and case-ready business and simplify operations across its network,” says Nikki Richardson, a spokesperson for JBS, to Meat+Poultry. “Production for current customers will be transitioned to other JBS facilities, ensuring continuity of supply and service. The transition is underway and expected to conclude by early next year.”
The facility, located outside Los Angeles, processes beef for sale in grocers’ meat cases but does not slaughter cattle.
“As cattle numbers remain tight over the next two years, the packing industry is hampered by over-capacity,” says John Nalivika, Sterling Marketing Inc. president. “In response to negative margins that are partly a result of that over-capacity, plants will be closed as the industry begins to consolidate capacity and increase production efficiency. This will be a critical step in addressing negative margins, particularly as new plants are brought online with the latest technologies.”
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the closing should not have a big impact on the cattle market because it is a small cut and wrap plant and doesn’t do any slaughtering or initial processing.
Read More and Listen to Kooima’s comments
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According to Reuters, “The company remains focused on delivering high-quality products and dependable service while strengthening its operational footprint to meet evolving market demands.”
JBS will shift production for its customers to other facilities, and workers will be eligible for jobs at other plants.
Last month, JBS projected its U.S. beef margins would likely tighten in the fourth quarter from the prior period due to the U.S. cattle shortage.
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