Schreiber Foods in Ravenna to Close, Cut 67 Employees - KHGI-TV/KWNB-TV/KHGI-CD-Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings

Schreiber Foods in Ravenna to Close, Cut 67 Employees

We were the first to bring you the news on Friday that Schreiber Foods, a dairy company in Ravenna, will close their operation at the beginning of next year.

Now we are getting more details in as the bad news is settling in on the community of Ravenna.

This closure will put 67 employees out of jobs. Leprino Foods shares the same space, but will not be affected by this closure.

Each employee that works at Schreiber Foods were instructed to not speak on this issue, but many in the community of Ravenna are speaking out after the announcement.

"Ravenna will dry up. That's a lot of jobs to lose," said life-long Ravenna resident Julie Kuhl. "I've lived here all my life and we're always struggling to get people in here."

"It will certainly affect a lot of people that live here," said Ravenna Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Trevor Lee.

"My son's girlfriend works at Schreiber and she's going to have to look for another job now," said Kuhl.

The first staff reduction will be on Oct. 23 that will lay off 21 employees. Then, the final closure is scheduled for Feb. 29 of next year.

Twenty-nine of those cut employees come from Ravenna. The others are from surrounding communities.

With Ravenna natives, this plant has been a centerpiece for decades.

"I know people that work there -- I don't myself, but it's always been a staple of Ravenna," said Kuhl.

"When we were kids, we actually got to take tours of that place with our school and we actually got to help make a pizza one time," said life-long Ravenna resident Lisa Veit.

Leaving residents hoping another company will call Ravenna home.

"Hopefully somebody will come by and open up the cheese plant," said Veit.

Schreiber Foods says the reason for closing the plant is because they need more room and space and they are updating their current locations to add un-manned machinery.

Leprino food may take some of those jobs so that will soften the blow a little bit but a lot of people will have to find another place to work.

If you live in Ravenna and want to contact somebody who can help you find a job, call Trevor Lee with the Ravenna Economic Development Corporation at (308) 452-3133 or Darren Robinson at (308) 237-5034.