Alphia, a major pet food manufacturer, is laying off 93 workers at its Pawnee City, Nebraska facility and consolidating production with its Bern, Kansas plant, with layoffs beginning February 1, 2027. The Pawnee City site will be repurposed as a warehouse and distribution center serving the Midwest.
- 93 job cuts scheduled at Alphia's Pawnee City, Nebraska facility starting February 1, 2027
- Production consolidating with Bern, Kansas plant and other company locations
- Pawnee City facility will become a warehouse and distribution center for the Midwest region
- Some affected employees offered transfer opportunities to the Bern facility
- Alphia is the 11th largest pet food co-manufacturer in the U.S. with capacity for over 1 billion pounds annually
Alphia plans to lay off 93 workers at its Pawnee City, Nebraska, facility as it moves manufacturing to its plant in Bern, Kansas, and other company locations, according to reports.
The premium pet food and treat manufacturer notified the Nebraska Department of Labor of the job cuts in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act letter. Layoffs are scheduled to begin during a 14-day window starting Feb. 1, 2027.
Alphia said it decided to consolidate its Pawnee City and Bern operations, reports said. Some affected employees will have the opportunity to transfer to the Bern plant.
“This decision is part of a broader effort to strengthen our manufacturing network, with capital investments across multiple Alphia facilities to increase capacity and support future growth,” Alphia said in a statement.
“We recognize the impact on our Pawnee City team members and the community,” the company said. “We are putting transition plans in place to support affected employees, including opportunities for some team members to join our nearby Bern facility.”
Pawnee City site to become distribution hub
The Pawnee City facility will not close entirely. Alphia noted it will repurpose it as a warehouse and distribution center serving the Midwest, according to reports. The company did not say how many employees will remain at the site.
The Pawnee City plant has operated since 1985. The company, formerly known as C.J. Foods, became Alphia following a 2022 merger.
According to Petfood Industry's Top Pet Food Companies, Alphia, ranked No. 11 on the list, is a U.S.-based pet food and treat co-manufacturer serving pet food brands and retailers. Formed from the merger of C.J. Foods and American Nutrition, the company manufactures dry kibble, canned pet food and treats for dogs and cats, with ingredient milling through LANI and logistics through Veracity. Alphia operates a coast-to-coast U.S. network and is owned by private equity firm PAI Partners. It has the capacity to manufacture more than 1 billion pounds of pet food and treats annually.
