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The basics:

• Danone North America to close Bridgeton plant, impacting 114 employees
• Facility produces Silk, So Delicious plant-based beverages
• Closure part of broader manufacturing consolidation strategy
• Production expected to shift to expanded plants in Texas, Ohio

Dairy products giant Danone North America is shutting down its plant in New Jersey.

Ahead of the closure, the company notified 114 employees at its Bridgeton manufacturing facility that they will be let go, according to a filing with the state Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

In a statement to NJBIZ, Danone said, “This was not an easy decision because it affects our people and communities. This change is part of a broader effort to transform our manufacturing network and enables our investment in critical capabilities across our core U.S. footprint for the long term.”

The company added, “We are providing comprehensive support to the affected employees and managing the situation closely during this transition.”

The site will close Aug. 2 and the company will complete layoffs by Nov. 2, according to Danone North America.

Located at 70 Rosenhayn Ave., the 185,000-square-foot facility produces Silk dairy-free beverages in almond, soy and cashew flavors. It also makes So Delicious oatmilk and creamers.

The 25-year-old location is also the company’s first soy protein extraction facility in the U.S., as well as the first Danone North America facility to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWTL) status.

It did not say where production from the Bridgeton location will move after the closure. However, the company has been consolidating manufacturing into larger plants across its North American footprint. According to Food Dive, Danone North America has multimillion dollar expansions underway of facilities in Texas and Ohio that will increase production capabilities.

A new era

A subsidiary of French food giant Danone SA, the company produces dairy products, yogurt, plant-based beverages, creamers, cold brew coffee and organic foods. Its brands include Oikos, Danimals, Evian, International Delight, Activia, Light & Fit, Dannon and YoCrunch.

Danone North America employs roughly 5,000 workers across its 13 manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

Along with being the country’s top manufacturer of plant-based products and yogurt, the company is No. 2 in creamers, ready-to-drink coffee, specialized nutrition and import waters, according to its website.

As part of its parent company’s broader global restructuring strategy, Danone North America has undergone a series of leadership and organizational changes that aim to simplify operations and improving efficiency.

Changing consumer demand and competitive pressure from the packaged food sector in recent years has prompted the company to focus on cutting costs, supply chain changes and putting resources on higher growth categories, like premium dairy, plant-based, waters and specialized nutrition.

The company last year trimmed its global structure from five geographic regions to three as well as reshuffled senior leadership roles.

In an August 2025 statement, Danone SA Chief Executive Officer Antoine de Saint-Affrique said, “As part of the next chapter of our Renew Danone strategy, we have decided to further accelerate our transformation, with a more compact and simpler organisation at the top of the company. These changes help us move forward with even greater focus and agility.”

Danone recently reported strong growth in high-protein yogurt and related products from GLP-1 users seeking protein-rich, portion-controlled foods. Earlier this year, the company said that demand has helped offset weakness in other categories.