UPDATE: T Marzetti Addresses Flatout Closure and Assures Support for Employees

In the wake of the recent announcement that Flatout Flatbread will cease production, Alyssa Spittle, spokesperson for Lancaster Colony Corporation, aka T Marzetti—the parent company of Flatout—spoke to the Sun Times News to shed light on the decision and address the public's reaction.

Spittle expressed understanding of the sadness many consumers feel over the loss of the brand. "I know some of our consumers are sad to see the brand go," she stated. Despite the attachment, Spittle explained that the decision to close was driven by financial realities. "Unfortunately, over the years, despite our best efforts, these products just have really not met our financial expectations," she remarked.

Addressing concerns raised on social media about the company's treatment of its employees, Spittle assured the public that T Marzetti had taken steps to support affected staff. "We are doing everything we can to help support our employees there," she emphasized. This includes opportunities for relocation, financial assistance, and outplacement services. Spittle shared positive developments regarding the workforce: "A large number of those employees have secured other work, and some of them have stayed with us for several weeks to help with other closure activities."

Acknowledging the difficulty of the situation, Spittle conveyed the company's effort to handle the transition as smoothly as possible. "It is never easy, and you'll never make everybody happy. But I think we handled it the best we could right now," she stated.

Finally, Spittle noted that the Saline facility, which housed Flatout Flatbread's operations, would be put up for sale. "That facility will be for sale as soon as we're finished with our closeout activity," she said.