MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Pearson’s Closes Historic Saint Paul Candy Factory and Lays Off About 80 Workers

SAINT PAUL, MN (September 29, 2026). Pearson’s Candy Company has permanently closed its longtime Saint Paul manufacturing plant, ending 67 years of production at a factory associated with some of Minnesota’s most recognizable candy brands.

The company said escalating manufacturing expenses and higher prices for chocolate and other ingredients made continued operation of the plant unsustainable. Approximately 80 employees are losing their jobs.

The factory produced Pearson’s Salted Nut Roll, Nut Goodie and other confections that have become closely connected with Saint Paul’s manufacturing history and Minnesota’s regional food identity.

The closure affects more than a nostalgic local brand. It removes dozens of manufacturing positions from Saint Paul and raises questions about the vulnerability of established food producers confronting higher commodity, labor, energy and transportation expenses.

Residents interviewed near the factory described the closing as the loss of an institution that provided jobs, neighborhood identity and a visible connection between locally made products and the national marketplace.

Pearson’s has not provided a detailed public explanation of what will happen to each product line, where future production could occur or whether another manufacturer will acquire any of the company’s brands or equipment. The company declined to provide additional comment to MPR News.

The closing follows years of mounting pressure on American confectionery manufacturers. Chocolate prices have been affected by disruptions in cocoa-producing regions, while the costs of sugar, peanuts, packaging, shipping and plant operations have also increased.

For Saint Paul, the shutdown represents another loss of industrial employment and a physical manufacturing presence with deep roots in the city.

The immediate concern is the future of the approximately 80 displaced workers. No publicly announced severance, retraining or job-placement program was identified in the company’s closing announcement.

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