Smithfield to close Massachusetts dry sausage plant

Food Dive reported the development on 2026-02-10. The pork giant will lay off 190 workers and transfer production of charcuterie-style meats to other facilities.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. Smithfield Foods will close a Massachusetts dry sausage plant and lay off 190 workers in a move to optimize production, according to a WARN notice filed with the state. The Springfield plant will close in August, a company spokesperson told Food Dive. Production will be transferred to other Smithfield facilities with "the capacity to make these products to our same high standards of quality.".

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. Smithfield recently expanded production capacity for dry sausage with the 2024 purchase of a Cargill plant in Nashville, Tennessee, which can make 50 million pounds of pepperoni and charcuterie meat per year.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. Despite growth in the segment, Smithfield is consolidating its manufacturing network to offset inflation and trim costs. Purchasing the Cargill plant allowed the company to add production capacity without building a new facility or taking on costs associated with acquiring a new brand, Hall said.