Feb 28, 2007 10:35 AM

Foremost Farms USA plans to close its Fitchburg WI fruit juice packaging plant and the distribution facility it leases in Windsor WI. The closings, expected before the end of April 2007, will cause around 77 salaried and hourly employees’ jobs to be lost. Workers will receive severance packages and re-employment help, according to Foremost.

A dairy cooperative based in Baraboo WI, Foremost blamed the closings on less demand for private-label juice made from frozen concentrate, higher cost of frozen concentrate, and reduced juice consumption.

Foremost has 20 manufacturing facilities and two milk transfer stations for its 3,000 dairy farmer-members in the Midwest. The cooperative has 1,500 employees.