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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | 166 Minneapolis Bakery Jobs Face Elimination as New French Bakery Facilities Prepare to Close
Two production plants are scheduled to shut down following the sale of New French Bakery to a Canadian company, with layoffs beginning December 29. The closures raise questions about job security and the changing ownership of Minnesota food manufacturers.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (November 11, 2026).
One hundred sixty-six workers at two Minneapolis bakery facilities face job losses beginning late December as New French Bakery prepares to close production plants following a change in ownership.
The facilities are located on Kasota Avenue and 26th Avenue South.
The planned closures were disclosed in a notice to Minnesota officials and publicly reported October 30.
The announcement follows the September sale of New French Bakery by Minnesota-based Rise Baking Company to Toronto-based FGF Brands.
The affected workers include employees in production, technical, sanitation and management roles.
Layoffs are scheduled to begin December 29.
For the workers and their families, the timing places employment uncertainty near the end of the year, when household expenses and financial commitments may already be substantial.
A Longstanding Minneapolis Food Business
New French Bakery built its reputation producing artisan breads for grocery stores and food-service customers.
The business grew under founder Peter Kelsey, who developed the company over approximately two decades before selling it in 2013.
At that time, New French Bakery employed hundreds of people and had become an established part of Minnesota's food manufacturing industry.
Its ownership changed several times in subsequent years as investment firms acquired and sold baking businesses.
In 2024, private equity firms Platinum Equity and Butterfly acquired Rise Baking Company in a transaction reported to be valued at as much as $2.5 billion.
Rise later sold New French Bakery to FGF Brands.
The September transaction was followed by the announced closure of the Minneapolis facilities.
The available information does not establish that the plants were closed because of financial distress, nor does it identify every business consideration behind the buyer's decision.
What the Closures Mean for Workers
A plant closure can affect employees whose experience is closely connected to specialized equipment and production processes.
Some may find comparable employment with other food manufacturers.
Others may need additional training, longer commutes or assistance transitioning into different industries.
The impact also extends to households dependent on wages and employer-provided benefits.
Workers may need information about unemployment insurance, health coverage, retirement accounts and available job-placement services.
The company has indicated that it intends to support affected employees during the transition.
The extent of any severance arrangements, transfer opportunities or other assistance was not fully established in the reporting reviewed.
A Broader Pattern of Food Industry Disruption
The planned closures come amid other challenges affecting Minnesota food manufacturers.
Changes in ownership, production strategy and investment priorities can alter where products are made and how many workers are needed.
Such decisions may improve efficiency from a company's perspective while imposing substantial costs on employees and communities.
The New French Bakery situation illustrates the tension between corporate restructuring and local economic stability.
It also raises questions about how Minnesota can retain manufacturing employment as ownership and production decisions increasingly cross state and national borders.
Property Sales and the Future of the Sites
Hennepin County property records cited in published reporting indicate that FGF Brands purchased the Kasota Avenue facility for approximately $1.9 million and the 26th Avenue South property for approximately $599,000 in September.
Those transactions establish ownership changes, but they do not establish what the properties will ultimately become.
The future use of the facilities will matter to surrounding neighborhoods and the city's industrial employment base.
THE TAKEAWAY
New French Bakery plans to close two Minneapolis facilities, affecting 166 jobs, with layoffs beginning December 29.
The closures follow the company's sale to Canadian food manufacturer FGF Brands.
The immediate concern is the financial security of affected employees and their access to transition assistance.
The longer-term question is what the closures reveal about the stability of manufacturing employment in Minnesota as food companies undergo repeated ownership changes and restructuring.
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