From the
Lewiston Tribune
Jan. 26, 2005
Twin City Foods is suspending its growing and processing operations in Lewiston and the surrounding region for 2005 because of transportation costs and sluggish demand for peas.
The decision means 45 full-time employees will be laid off including the 16 maintenance and warehouse positions suspended in October.
“In the last few years, we have seen our margins disappear despite all of our efforts to control costs,” according to a news release from Twin City Foods. “This has left the company few choices but to consolidate our pea processing operations.”
The decision is an indication of how challenging it has become for Lewiston’s only vegetable processing plant, which has been in operation since 1947, providing stable manufacturing jobs.
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Fred Meyer, a combination grocery and department store, is passing by the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley for now.
In a financial review, Fred Meyer found the potential of Clarkston met the business’ criteria for new locations, but not with flying colors, said Mary Loftin, a spokeswoman for Fred Meyer in Portland, Ore. “It was an economic decision not to go into Clarkston at this time.”
Fred Meyer may review its choice again in a few years and is staying in contact with the property owner, Loftin says. “We’ll keep it on our radar screen.”
