After more than 80 years in Muskegon, Cole’s Quality Foods — known for inventing the first commercially available frozen garlic bread in 1973 — has halted production at its original plant, notifying workers Wednesday, Sept. 10, that operations were ending immediately as the company prepares for a full closure this fall, city officials confirmed.
The facility at 1188 Lakeshore Drive will officially close Nov. 9, affecting 175 employees, 144 union-represented workers from Teamsters Local 406 and 31 in management, office and supervisory roles, according to a notice filed under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.
“We expect the closing to be permanent in nature,” the filing states.
Some office staff will remain for several weeks to months to complete administrative work, according to the City of Muskegon and the layoff notice. Affected employees will continue to receive pay for 60 days, as required by federal law.
Cole’s was founded in Muskegon in 1943 and expanded into a national brand with a variety of frozen garlic breads, toasts and sticks sold at major U.S. retailers. The company also operates a facility in North Liberty, Iowa, though it’s unclear whether that location has been affected by the closure decision.
The announcement comes less than a year after Cole’s was acquired by Canadian-based Furlani Foods in December 2024. Representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.
“At this time, the city has no information on the future of the physical facility (in Muskegon) but will be connecting with Furlani Foods leadership … to discuss next steps,” the city said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the locally impacted workers.”
Community members and fans of Cole’s took to social media to express sadness and disappointment over the closure.
“I just went past there. I was just thinking it was a shift change. So many outside. I am sad for them,” one user commented on a Facebook post sharing the city’s announcement.
“This is so unfortunate for all of the employees and the community. My kids and I love driving past and rolling down the window to smell the fresh baking bread!” another commented.
The City of Muskegon said West Michigan Works has been activated to help affected employees with job-seeking resources. Workers can call 231-724-6381 and select the “job seekers” option for assistance.
Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: nrahal@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Cole’s frozen bread factory closure to affect 175 workers